ARC-OVER AND RAPID PUMPDOWN TESTS ON THE CESIUM CONTACT IONIZATION ENGINE FLIGHT TEST PAYLOAD.

Abstract

Flight profile simulation tests of a cesium ion engine flight test payload were conducted to investigate possible causes of the failure incurred in the first in-space flight test of the cesium ion engine. The engine package, composed of the engine and power conditioning equipment, was subjected to a series of flight pressure profile tests to determine the behavior of the package during launch. Steady state arc-over pressure tests were also made to ascertain the pressure at which high voltage gaseous breakdown would occur. The results of these tests proved that the engine package is a negligible outgassing source. The pressure at which steady state arc-over was experienced was shown to be relatively high, proving that any arc-over experienced in the flight test was not initiated by outgassing in the engine package. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1964
Accession Number
AD0601837

Entities

People

  • Edward T. Mahefkey
  • Robert H. Johnson

Organizations

  • Air Force Research Laboratory

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Engines
  • Flight
  • High Voltage
  • Ion Engines
  • Ionization
  • Outgassing
  • Power Conditioning
  • Simulations
  • Space Flight
  • Steady State
  • Voltage

Readers

  • Missile Defense Systems.
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Thermal Physics or Thermal Science.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster