The current status of research and development programs on electrostatic thrusters is reviewed. Current programs that utilize mercury electron-bombardment thrusters range from 5- to 30-cm in diameter. Recent progress on the 5-cm thruster has emphasized durability, with accelerator time exceeding 6300 hours and total time on the rest of the thruster exceeding 8300 hours. Recent progress on the 30-cm thruster has been outstanding in dished-grid accelerator systems. Ion beams up to 5 amperes have been obtained for short periods with 1000 volts net accelerating potential difference. The cesium electron-bombardment and cesium contact programs are also described.
Electrostatic thrusters.
Joint Propulsion Specialist Conference ; 1972 ; New Orleans, LA, US
1972-11-01
Conference paper
No indication
English
AIAA | 1972
|Electrostatic Acceleration Mode of Laser-Electric Hybrid Thrusters
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2005
|