RESEARCH ON CHARGED PARTICLE ELECTROSTATIC THRUSTERS.
Abstract
Progress towards the development of practical colloid thrusters for space application is described. 100 hour life tests with neutralized and unneutralized beams have been performed for thrusts in excess of 100 micropounds. Specific impulses in excess of 1000 seconds have been achieved at a cost in reduction of mass efficiency to 62%. A mass efficiency of 77% was obtained at 643 seconds specific impulse. Several newer thruster concepts and problems associated with beam diagnostics are discussed. Specific areas covered include thrust vectoring, high voltage colloid beams, propellant stability, investigation of new propellants and refinements in time of flight techniques for colloid beam analysis. The report concludes with a resume of the present status of colloid research and recommendations for the future direction of related research. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1967
- Accession Number
- AD0820899
Entities
People
- Ernest Cohen
- M. N. Huberman
Organizations
- TRW Inc.