Pulsed Plasma Thruster Ignition Study

Abstract

A study of ignitor plug operation in a one-millipound pulsed plasma thruster has been performed. Inductive, rather than resistive coupling of the ignitor plug cathode to the thruster cathode electrode has been shown to significantly reduce a carbonaceous deposit buildup on the plug face. A reduction in plug deposition was also demonstrated by the use of a high current, short pulse length, plug trigger circuit.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 1982
Accession Number
ADB065528

Entities

People

  • Graeme Aston
  • Lewis C. Pless
  • Mary E. Brady

Organizations

  • California Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Electric Arcs
  • Energy
  • Equivalent Circuits
  • Ignition Systems
  • Jet Propulsion
  • Life Tests
  • Measurement
  • Repetition Rate
  • Rocket Propulsion
  • Scattering
  • Semiconductors
  • Silicon Controlled Rectifiers
  • Spark Gaps
  • Spectra
  • Test And Evaluation
  • Test Equipment

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerospace Propulsion Engineering.
  • Electrical Engineering

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster
  • Space - Satellites