Arcjet rocket

About: Arcjet rocket is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1121 publications have been published within this topic receiving 9687 citations. The topic is also known as: Arcjet.

Development of 1 kW MPD thruster

Abstract: The operation of an MPD arcjet in the repetitive shot mode is reviewed. One of the most important factors in the repetitive operation is the initiation of the arc discharge, which was investigated in a conventional arcjet. The characteristics of the arc ignition was clarified. Furthermore, a newly designed configuration of the MPD arcjet, which possesses a segmented anode, was tested and was found to show better performance than that of the conventional one. A repetitive test of this improved arcjet was also carried out, and several problems about the durability were pointed out. 5 references.

Design and performance of an arcjet nuclear electric propulsion system for a mid-1990's reference mission

Abstract: The design and performance of an arcjet nuclear-electric-propulsion spacecraft, suitable for use in the Space Nuclear Power System (SNPS) reference mission, are outlined. The vehicle design was based on a 30-kW ammonia arcjet system operating at an Isp of 1050 s and an efficiency of 45 percent. The arcjet/gimbal system, power-processing unit, and propellant-feed system are described. A 100-kWe SNPS was assumed, and the spacecraft mass was baselined at 5250 kg (excluding the propellant-feed system). A radiation/arcjet efflux diagnostics package was included in the performance analysis. This spacecraft, assuming a Shuttle launch from KSC, can perform a 50-deg inclination change and reach a final orbit of 35,860 km with a 120-d trip time providing a 4-mo active load for the SNPS. Alternatively, a Titan IV launch would provide a mass margin of 120 kg to a 10,000-km, 58-deg final orbit in 74 d. This spacecraft meets the reference-mission constraint of low developmental risk, and is scalable to power levels projected for future space platforms.

Arcjet Neutralization of Hall Thrusters, Part 2: Experimental Demonstration

Abstract: The use of an arcjet to provide electron current for a Hall thrusters is examined, as such a hybrid concept can fill a performance niche amongst available space propulsion options. We report on experiments that determine how much electron current can be drawn to a surrogate anode from the plume of low-power arcjets operating on hydrogen and helium and demonstrate the first successful operation of a low-power Hall thruster-arcjet neutralizer package. In the surrogate anode studies, we find that the drawing of current from the arcjet plume has only a weak effect on overall arcjet performance (thrust), with a slight decrease in arc voltage with increased extracted current. A single arcjet Hall thruster hybrid package was assembled for concept demonstration. When operating on helium with a nominal mass flow rate of 4.5 mg/s and at very low power levels (∼70‐120 W), the arcjet was able to effectively neutralize the ∼200‐900-W xenon Hall thruster causing little measurable departure from the hollow-cathode neutralized Hall thruster I-V characteristics up to 250 V. At higher helium mass flow rates, the Hall discharge current was slightly perturbed from its expected values, most likely because of the ingestion of helium in the chamber background.

Measurement of Velocity and Power Balance in a Two-Dimensional MPD Arcjet

Abstract: Velocity and temperature measurements were conducted for a two-dimensional magnetoplasmadynamic arcjet with hydrogen propellant. To obtain the velocities of both atoms and ions, laser absorption spectroscopy was employed for atom, and time-of-flight technique was used for ions. In a quasi-steady operation at 13kA/0.65g/s, larger ions velocity (33km/s) than that of the atoms (13km/s) was found in the case of flared anode configuration, which implies that large mean free path between the ions and atoms prohibited momentum transfer from the ions to the neutral particles. This velocity difference was not observed in the case of converging-diverging anode, where the high-density plasma inside the discharge chamber enhances momentum transfer from ions to atoms. In addition to the velocity difference, diagnostics by probe methods revealed high ion temperature in comparison with that of electrons at the thruster exit. Using the velocities and temperatures together with the densities of each particle, energy flux of the magnetoplasmadynamic arcjet was discussed. The large energy deposition into thermal and internal energy modes near the thruster exit indicated a large amount of pressure energy that should be converted to velocity energy by an appropriate nozzle design to further improve the thrust performance.

Arcjet Plasma Neutralization of Hall Thrusters, Part 2: Experimental Demonstration

Abstract: The use of an arcjet to provide electron current for a Hall thrusters is examined, as such a hybrid concept can fill a performance niche amongst available space propulsion options. We report on experiments that determine how much electron current can be drawn to a surrogate anode from the plume of low-power arcjets operating on hydrogen and helium and demonstrate the first successful operation of a low-power Hall thruster-arcjet neutralizer package. In the surrogate anode studies, we find that the drawing of current from the arcjet plume has only a weak effect on overall arcjet performance (thrust), with a slight decrease in arc voltage with increased extracted current. A single arcjet Hall thruster hybrid package was assembled for concept demonstration. When operating on helium with a nominal mass flow rate of 4.5 mg/s and at very low power levels (∼70‐120 W), the arcjet was able to effectively neutralize the ∼200‐900-W xenon Hall thruster causing little measurable departure from the hollow-cathode neutralized Hall thruster I-V characteristics up to 250 V. At higher helium mass flow rates, the Hall discharge current was slightly perturbed from its expected values, most likely because of the ingestion of helium in the chamber background.