Space electric propulsion plasmas

Author

Wilbur, Paul J. ; Jahn, Robert G. ; Curran, Frank C.

Author_Institution

Eng. Res. Center, Colorado State Univ., Ft. Collins, CO, USA

Volume

19

Issue

6

fYear

1991

fDate

12/1/1991 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

1167

Lastpage

1179

Abstract

Electric thrusters offer the promise of a substantial improvement in performance over that of conventional chemical rockets currently used in space propulsion applications. There are three basically different ways in which electrical power and propellant inputs might be combined to produce thrust: (1) propellant can be heated electrically and then expanded through a nozzle; (2) electromagnetic body forces can be applied to accelerate a plasma to the desired exhaust velocity; or (3) electrostatic body forces can be applied to accelerate charged particles. Electric thrusters are classified in accordance with the mechanism by which they induce thrust as electrothermal, electromagnetic, and electrostatic. The characteristics of plasmas in electric thrusters along these lines are considered

Keywords

aerospace engines; aerospace propulsion; rockets; EM thrust; electric thrusters; electrical power; electromagnetic body forces; electrostatic body forces; electrostatic thrust; electrothermal thrust; ion engines; plasma acceleration; propellant inputs; space propulsion applications; Acceleration; Chemicals; Electromagnetic forces; Electromagnetic launching; Electrostatics; Plasma accelerators; Plasma applications; Plasma chemistry; Plasma properties; Propulsion;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.125039

Filename

125039