Conventional arcjet propellants are hydrazine and ammonia. Both are toxic and environmentally unfriendly, requiring the use of complicated handling logistics and increased cost. If successfully demonstrated in arcjets, the use of green propellants would alleviate these issues. This paper details improvements made to the design of a low-power arcjet to be used in testing. Diagnostic tools to be used to assess thruster performance were also developed. These include emission spectroscopy for the detection of thruster insulator erosion and a two-cord heterodyne laser interferometer to measure electron number densities and estimate the exit velocity of the propellant.
Towards the Development of Low Power Arcjet for Use with Green Propellant
2017-08-11
Miscellaneous
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English