Pocket Rocket - An electrothermal plasma micro-thruster
Amelia Greig
Australian National University
Acton, Australia
Abstract.
A cylindrical radio-frequency (13.56 MHz) electrothermal plasma micro-thruster called 'Pocket Rocket' is being developed in the Space Plasma Power and Propulsion Laboratory at the Australian National University. The thruster principle is based around gas heating from ion-neutral collisions within the plasma discharge creating higher exhaust velocities than a cold gas thruster, hence producing more thrust. Rovibrational spectroscopy experiments used to measure the temperature of the discharge and confirm gas heating occurs within the thruster will be discussed, including the spatiotemporal evolution of temperature within the discharge which has been used to identify the various heating mechanisms involved.
Created 2015-06-04 14:42:08 by Mats Holmström Last changed 2015-06-04 14:42:08 by Mats Holmström
