Direct thrust measurement of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster

Journal Article · Mon Apr 04 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · Applied Physics Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3577608· OSTI ID:21518370

Takahashi, K; Lafleur, T; Charles, C; Alexander, P; Boswell, R W ^[1]; Perren, M; Laine, R ^[2]; Pottinger, S; Lappas, V; Harle, T; Lamprou, D ^[3]

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1. Space Plasma, Power and Propulsion Group, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra ACT 0200 (Australia)
2. ASTRIUM-EADS, 6 rue Laurent Pichat, 75016 Paris (France)
3. Surrey Space Centre, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH (United Kingdom)

Direct thrust measurements of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster have been made using a pendulum thrust balance and a high sensitivity laser displacement sensor. At the low pressures used (0.08 Pa) an ion beam is detected downstream of the thruster exit, and a maximum thrust force of about 3 mN is measured for argon with an rf input power of about 700 W. The measured thrust is proportional to the upstream plasma density and is in good agreement with the theoretical thrust based on the maximum upstream electron pressure.

• OSTI ID: 21518370
• Journal Information: Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 98, Issue 14; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3577608; (c) 2011 American Institute of Physics; ISSN 0003-6951
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ARGON
ARGON IONS
BALANCES
ELECTRONS
ION BEAMS
LASER RADIATION
LAYERS
PERMANENT MAGNETS
PLASMA DENSITY
SENSITIVITY
SENSORS
THRUSTERS
BEAMS
CHARGED PARTICLES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
FLUIDS
GASES
IONS
LEPTONS
MAGNETS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
NONMETALS
RADIATIONS
RARE GASES
WEIGHT INDICATORS