Langmuir Probe Diagnostics of the VASIMR Engine

Abstract

NASA's VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket Engine (VASIMR) will provide a highly efficient propulsion source that can dramatically reduce Martian transit times, provide for more abort contingencies, and protect astronauts from space radiation with its highly radiation-absorbent hydrogen fuel. The VASIMR is still in its developmental infancy and requires many years of research before its initial operational capability. Much is still unknown about the complex plasma interactions in the exhaust. A Langmuir probe was designed, constructed, and operated to determine current density radial profiles and total particle flux at various stages in the exhaust of VASIMR. The Langmuir probe results proved that the exhaust's radial profile is Gaussian, experimentally validated predictions of magnetic field line dragging, and verified the ionization efficiency of VASIMR.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2005
Accession Number
ADA443407

Entities

People

  • Brian C. Sinclair

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aluminum Oxides
  • Charged Particles
  • Current Density
  • Electric Propulsion
  • Electrons
  • Energy
  • Energy Transfer
  • Exhaust Plumes
  • Gas Flow
  • Kinetic Energy
  • Langmuir Probes
  • Magnetic Fields
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Measurement
  • Particle Flux
  • Rocket Engines

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Geodesy
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster