Field emission electric propulsion - Long-time test of a liquid metal ion thruster
Conference
·
OSTI ID:5420092
Field emission electric propulsion is the technological application of the principle of liquid metal ion sources as thrusters in electric space propulsion. This paper describes the influence of the residual gas atmosphere on a slit type field ion thruster with liquid cesium as propellant obtained during a long-term test of about 100d, simulating occasionally the vacuum conditions outside a spacecraft in low earth orbit. Major deviations of the current-voltage emission characteristic due to gas adsorption and the related contamination of the slit area of the ion thruster have been found as well as a recovery effect initiated by high current ion emission. 20 refs.
- OSTI ID:
- 5420092
- Report Number(s):
- AIAA-Paper--89-2278; CONF-8907118--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
42 ENGINEERING
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
ALKALI METALS
CESIUM
CONTAMINATION
DEGASSING
DESIGN
DISTILLATION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
FLUIDS
ION SOURCES
ION THRUSTERS
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
METALS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPELLANTS
PROPULSION
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPACE VEHICLES
TESTING
THRUSTERS
VEHICLES
420200* -- Engineering-- Facilities
Equipment
& Techniques
ALKALI METALS
CESIUM
CONTAMINATION
DEGASSING
DESIGN
DISTILLATION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
FLUIDS
ION SOURCES
ION THRUSTERS
LIQUID METALS
LIQUIDS
METALS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PROPELLANTS
PROPULSION
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPACE VEHICLES
TESTING
THRUSTERS
VEHICLES