Performance of a 100 kW, applied field magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster was evaluated and sensitivities of discharge characteristics to arc current, mass flow rate, and applied magnetic field were investigated. Thermal efficiencies as high as 60 percent, thrust efficiencies up to 21 percent, and specific impulses of up to 1150 s were attained with argon propellant. Thrust levels up to 2.5 N were directly measured with an inverted pendulum thrust stand at discharge input powers up to 57 kW. It was observed that thrust increased monotonically with the product of arc current and magnet current.
Performance of a 100 kW class applied field MPD thruster
Joint Propulsion Conference ; 1989 ; Monterey, CA, United States
1989-07-01
Report
No indication
English
Performance of a 100 kW class applied field MPD thruster
NTRS | 1989
|Performance of a 100 kW class applied field MPD thruster
AIAA | 1989
|Experimental Study of a Hundred-Kilowatt-Class Applied-Field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster
Online Contents | 2013
|Applied-field MPD thruster geometry effects
AIAA | 1991
|