Ion thruster employing cesium on tungsten contact-ionization is described which has promise of meeting requirements for satellite attitude control and station keeping missions; configuration has been derived from concept of divergent space-charge flow between coaxial cylinders; ionizer emitting area is 1.0 sq cm (1.52-mm chord length by 6.35 cm long); power efficiences of 45% have been achieved at thrust levels of 1.56 mN (0.35 mlb) and specific impulses near 7000 sec; accelerator drain currents are on order of 2% of beam current or less.
Experimental performance of low-thrust, divergent-flow, contact-ionization electrostatic thruster
J Spacecraft Rockets
Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets ; 4 , n 5
1967
6 pages
Article (Journal)
English
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