Overview of Experimental Research on Applied-Field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thrusters at IRS (original) (raw)

Steady state applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic (AF-MPD) thrusters feature high exhaust velocities, relatively high thrust densities, and are deemed suitable for interplanetary missions with a power level up to some MW. Such missions are achievable through the use of alternative propellants such as argon, lithium or hydrogen. Reported thrust efficiencies of steady-state AF-MPD thrusters are typically between 30 and 50 % [1,2].The current focus of AF-MPD research at IRS is the increase of thrust efficiency by characterization and improvement of operating parameters, which was partially investigated in the past by DFVLR [1,3,4]. Based on DLR's X16 thruster, a passively cooled AF-MPD thruster ZT1 has been designed and successfully put into operation in 2011; the purpose of which was to perform plasma diagnostics on the thruster in order to verify the numerical code SAMSA [5]. The results presented within this paper are still in a preliminary state, which will be later replicated an...