First Firing of a 100-kW Nested-Channel Hall Thruster
Abstract
Currently, there is interest in scaling electric propulsion devices to higher power from 30 kW to 300 kW. An effective method of meeting this call is investment in extending the power range of mature technology. Both the Air Force and NASA have determined nested-channel Hall-effect thrusters (NHTs) are a promising path forward1. The X3 NHT, a 100-kW class laboratory model thruster, has been designed and fabricated leveraging past high-power HETs as well as proof-of-concept work by Liang2 in order to provide a benchmark NHT device Developed jointly by the University of Michigan Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory (PEPL), Air Force Research Laboratory, NASA Glenn Research Center and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the X3 NHT is a three-channel NHT with a nominal power throttling range from 1 kW to >200 kW. Based on conventional thruster scaling, to the X3 may achieve 15 N of thrust and 4,600 sec of Isp with xenon and krypton propellant, respectively. In this paper we preview the initial operation of the 100-kW class NHT.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2013
- Accession Number
- ADA595910
Entities
People
- Alec D. Gallimore
- Christopher M. Griffiths
- Daniel L. Brown
- Hani Kamhawi
- James E. Polk
- Richard R. Hofer
- Roland E. Florenz
- Scott J. Hall
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory