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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.


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Patent
27 Apr 1987
TL;DR: In this article, a non-erosive arcjet starting control system and method are provided in combination with an arcjet thruster which includes an anode, a cathode and a gap defined therebetween.
Abstract: A non-erosive arcjet starting control system and method are provided in combination with an arcjet thruster which includes an anode, a cathode and a gap defined therebetween. The starting control system and method include the operative steps of, first, actuating a valve in a propellant gas feed path to an opened position thereby permitting flow of propellant gas at a predetermined pressure into the thruster past the gap therein, second, applying to the anode and cathode an electrical potential of a predetermined magnitude being less than that required to generate an electrical arc across the gap through propellant gas at the predetermined flow pressure and, concurrently, actuating the valve to its closed position thereby preventing flow of propellant gas into the thruster past the gap and thereby lowering the flow pressure of the propellant gas in the thruster below the predetermined pressure such that an electrical arc is now generated in the thruster across the gap and, finally, actuating the valve to its opened position thereby permitting propellant gas to flow again at the predetermined pressure into the thruster past the gap and force the electrical arc to move downstream within the thruster so as to minimize erosion in the constrictor. The flow of propellant into the thruster is prevented for only a short period of time.

15 citations

Patent
19 Mar 1993
TL;DR: In this paper, it has been shown that the amount of thrust can be varied by modulating the power applied to the arc without extinguishing the arc, while the specific impulse (ISP) of the arcjet is still larger than the combined ISP of an unmodulated arcjet and a modulated chemical thruster.
Abstract: A spacecraft uses monopropellant arcjets for velocity change such as for north-south stationkeeping. It has been discovered that, while an arcjet cannot be modulated by pulsing the fuel supply, the amount of thrust can be varied by modulating the power applied to the arc, without extinguishing the arc. While the specific impulse (ISP) of the arcjet is thereby reduced from the maximum ISP of which the arcjet is capable, the resulting ISP may still be larger than the combined ISP of an unmodulated arcjet in conjunction with a modulated chemical thruster in a typical scenario. According to the invention, attitude control is provided in conjunction with north-south stationkeeping or other velocity change by, in response to an error signal generated by an attitude control system, modulating the arc power(s) of an arcjet thruster(s), which provides the velocity change. The arc is not extinguished during the stationkeeping maneuver, but is varied in magnitude. In addition to improving the overall ISP, an arrangement according to the invention allows dispensing with the chemical thrusters on the north face, thereby reducing spacecraft weight and complexity. Reliability is not seriously affected, because failure of arc allows an arcjet to continue to be used as a chemical thruster.

15 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jun 1991
TL;DR: In this paper, the axial velocity of atomic hydrogen in a 1-kW hydrogen-fueled arcjet thruster was measured using a narrow-band CW ring dye laser.
Abstract: A new diagnostic developed to measure the axial velocity of atomic hydrogen in a 1-kW hydrogen-fueled arcjet thruster is reported. The technique is based on laser-induced fluorescence of the Balmer alpha transition (656 nm) in atomic hydrogen. A narrow-band CW ring dye laser scans the excitation spectrum permitting accurate determination of the absorption line shape and position. The velocity is derived from the Doppler-shifted line position. A spatially resolved velocity profile is presented with a peak velocity of 12.8 km/s at the arcjet centerline near the exit plane.

14 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jan 1991
TL;DR: In this paper, an arcjet power electronics in the 100 to 400 W operating range were developed for future light-weight, low-power spacecraft, and the arcjet integration tests were performed, resulting in successful starts and stable arcjet operation at power levels as low as 240 W with simulated hydrazine propellants.
Abstract: In anticipation of the needs of future light-weight, low-power spacecraft, arcjet power electronics in the 100 to 400 W operating range were developed. Limited spacecraft power and thermal control capacity of these small spacecraft emphasized the need for high efficiency. Power topologies similar to those in the higher 2 kW and 5 to 30 kW power range were implemented, including a four transistor bridge switching circuit, current mode pulse-width modulated control, and an output current averaging inductor with an integral pulse generation winding. Reduction of switching transients was accomplished using a low inductance power distribution network, and no passive snubber circuits were necessary for power switch protection. Phase shift control of the power bridge was accomplished using an improved pulse width modulation to phase shift converter circuit. These features, along with conservative magnetics designs allowed power conversion efficiencies of greater than 92.5 percent to be achieved into resistive loads over the entire operating range of the converter. Electromagnetic compatibility requirements were not considered in this work, and control power for the converter was derived from AC mains. Addition of input filters and control power converters would result in an efficiency of on the order of 90 percent for a flight unit. Due to the developmental nature of arcjet systems at this power level, the exact nature of the thruster/power processor interface was not quantified. Output regulation and current ripple requirements of 1 and 20 percent respectively, as well as starting techniques, were derived from the characteristics of the 2 kW system but an open circuit voltage in excess of 175 V was specified. Arcjet integration tests were performed, resulting in successful starts and stable arcjet operation at power levels as low as 240 W with simulated hydrazine propellants.

14 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a self-e eld magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arcjet was analyzed to establish the optimum geometry that produces the highest possible thrust for specie ed operating conditions, and a set of simplie ed assumptions within a quasi-one-dimensional framework was used to establish how the optimum e owe eld was coupled to the thruster geometry.
Abstract: The e owe eld of a self-e eld magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) arcjet was analyzed to establish the optimum geometry that produces the highest possible thrust for specie ed operating conditions. A set of simplie ed assumptions, within a quasi-one-dimensional framework, was used to establish how the optimum e owe eld was coupled to the thruster geometry. The resultant distribution of discharge current was smooth without any prominent concentration along the electrodes. The approach employed a purely mathematical method of engineering optimal control to suggest design guidelines for MPD arcjet thrusters within the idealized constraints. The optimum was found to be a slowly convergent and quickly divergent geometry that maximized the exit velocity for a e xed electrical input power.

14 citations


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Performance
Metrics
No. of papers in the topic in previous years
YearPapers
202315
202211
20215
202010
20193
201811