A low-power arcjet thruster SAGAMI-I has been newly designed and fabricated based on the results of the finite element thermal analysis. Thrust performance was parametrically studied for several different constrictor configurations with submilimeter diameters using hydrazine simulative gas propellant (N2 + 2H 2). The SAGAMII exhibited significant performance advantage over our old-type thruster. Further reduction of a constrictor diameter was attempted, and the limit was found. The effect of regenerative cooling was also evaluated, and the obtained experimental data demonstrated that the energy gain from regenerative cooling resulted in the increase of specific impulse by 5-10%.

C. Petagna

Papers

Experimental performance of a 1 kW Arcjet