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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2004

Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL): An Overview

This article describes the two stage bismuth fueled Hall thruster technology that was developed at TsNIIMASH [1] and the Very High Isp Thruster with Anode Layer (VHITAL) technology assessment program that is funded by NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD)' Prometheus program. The overall objective of this program is to evaluate the potential for this Russian-developed thruster technology to enable near-term, Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEf)-enabled ESMD missions to the outer planets. This 2.5 year program will provide the technology basis for the development of even higher power anode layer thrusters for rapid outer planet exploration missions and, ultimately, human exploration of the solar system. The first 6 month phase is currently in progress. If this phase is successful, the second (1 year) and third (1 year) phase of the proposed program will follow.

Hall thrusters↗
NASA NTRS2007

Sensitivity Testing of the NSTAR Ion Thruster

During the Extended Life Test of the DS1 flight spare ion thruster, the engine was subjected to sensitvity testing in order to characterize the macroscopic dependence of discharge chamber sensitivity to a +\-3% vatiation in main flow, cathode flow and beam current, and to +\5% variation in beam and accelerator voltage, was determined for the minimum- (THO), half- (TH8) and full power (TH15) throttle levels. For each power level investigared, 16 high/low operating conditions were chosen to vary the flows, beam current, and grid voltages in in a matrix that mapped out the entire parameter space. The matrix of data generated was used to determine the partial derivative or senitivity of the dependent parameters--discharge voltage, discharge current, discharge loss, double-to-single-ion current ratio, and neutralizer-keeper voltage--to the variation in the independent parameters--main flow, cathode flow, beam current, and beam voltage. The sensititivities of each dependent parameter with respect to each independent parameter were determined using a least-square fit routine. Variation in these sensitivities with thruster runtime was recorded over the duration of the ELT, to detemine if discharge performance changed with thruster wear. Several key findings have been ascertained from the sensitivity testing. Discharge operation is most sensitve to changes in cathode flow and to a lesser degree main flow. The data also confirms that for the NSTAR configuration plasma production is limited by primary electron input due to the fixed neutral population. Key sensitivities along with their change with thruster wear (operating time) will be presented. In addition double ion content measurements with an ExB probe will also be presented to illustrate beam ion production and content sensitivity to the discharge chamber operating parameteres.

electric propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2014

Mode Transitions in Magnetically Shielded Hall Effect Thrusters

A mode transition study is conducted in magnetically shielded thrusters where the magnetic field magnitude is varied to induce mode transitions. Three different oscillatory modes are identified with the 20-kW NASA-300MS-2 and the 6-kW H6MS: Mode 1) global mode similar to unshielded thrusters at low magnetic fields, Mode 2) cathode oscillations at nominal magnetic fields, and Mode 3) combined spoke, cathode and breathing mode oscillations at high magnetic fields. Mode 1 exhibits large amplitude, low frequency (1-10 kHz), breathing mode type oscillations where discharge current mean value and oscillation amplitude peak. The mean discharge current is minimized while thrust-to-power and anode efficiency are maximized in Mode 2, where higher frequency (50-90 kHz), low amplitude, cathode oscillations dominate. Thrust is maximized in Mode 3 and decreases by 5-6% with decreasing magnetic field strength. The presence or absence of spokes and strong cathode oscillations do not affect each other or discharge current. Similar to unshielded thrusters, mode transitions and plasma oscillations affect magnetically shielded thruster performance and should be characterized during system development.

Ground Tests↗
NASA NTRS2014

Overview of the Development of the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission 12.5-kW Hall Thruster

NASA is developing mission concepts for a solar electric propulsion technology demonstration mission. A number of mission concepts are being evaluated including ambitious missions to near Earth objects. The demonstration of a high-power solar electric propulsion capability is one of the objectives of the candidate missions under consideration. In support of NASAs exploration goals, a number of projects are developing extensible technologies to support NASAs near and long term mission needs. Specifically, the Space Technology Mission Directorate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission project is funding the development of a 12.5-kW magnetically shielded Hall thruster system to support future NASA missions. This paper presents the design attributes of the thruster that was collaboratively developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The paper provides an overview of the magnetic, plasma, thermal, and structural modeling activities that were carried out in support of the thruster design. The paper also summarizes the results of the functional tests that have been carried out to date. The planned thruster performance, plasma diagnostics (internal and in the plume), thermal, wear, and mechanical tests are outlined.

Electric Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2014

Overview of the Development of the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission 12.5-kW Hall Thruster

NASA is developing mission concepts for a solar electric propulsion technology demonstration mission. A number of mission concepts are being evaluated including ambitious missions to near Earth objects. The demonstration of a high-power solar electric propulsion capability is one of the objectives of the candidate missions under consideration. In support of NASA's exploration goals, a number of projects are developing extensible technologies to support NASA's near and long term mission needs. Specifically, the Space Technology Mission Directorate Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission project is funding the development of a 12.5-kilowatt magnetically shielded Hall thruster system to support future NASA missions. This paper presents the design attributes of the thruster that was collaboratively developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The paper provides an overview of the magnetic, plasma, thermal, and structural modeling activities that were carried out in support of the thruster design. The paper also summarizes the results of the functional tests that have been carried out to date. The planned thruster performance, plasma diagnostics (internal and in the plume), thermal, wear, and mechanical tests are outlined.

High power long life hall thrusters↗
NASA NTRS2013

Influence of Tailored Applied Magnetic Fields on High-Power MPD Thruster Current Transport and Onset-Related Phenomena

This work investigated the effects of tailored, externally-applied magnetic fields on current transport and near-anode processes in the plasma discharge of a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster (MPDT). Electrical and plasma diagnostics were used to investigate how localized applied magnetic fields could mitigate the effects of the "onset" phenomena, including large-amplitude terminal voltage fluctuations and high anode fall voltages associated with unstable operation and anode erosion. An MPDT with a multi-channel hollow cathode was developed and tested with quasi-steady pulses of 1 millisecond duration at power levels of 36 kilowatts (20 volts, 1800 amperes) to 3.3 milliwatts (255 volts, 13.1 kiloamperes) with argon propellant in three different magnetic configurations: self-field, applied B field tangential to the anode lip near the exit plane, and applied cusp B field. The current pattern and current densities redistributed to follow the applied poloidal magnetic field lines, which created increased conduction paths to the anode. Also, the anode fall voltage was substantially reduced with both applied B field topologies over a large range of currents. For example, at 10.7 kiloamperes, the cusp applied magnetic field decreased anode fall voltages from 45-83 volts down to 15 volts or lower along much of the anode. The amplitude and frequency of the voltage fluctuations were also reduced over a broad range of currents with the applied fields. E.g., the standard deviations of the fluctuations were lowered by 37-49 percent at 8-9 kiloamperes. In addition, decreases in the mean terminal voltages as large as 31 percent were measured with the applied magnetic fields. These effects are shown to be associated with the increased current conduction along the applied magnetic field lines in the near-anode region. These results also suggest a reduction in frequency and intensity of current-concentrating filaments and anode spots, which contribute to erosion. Overall, both applied magnetic field configurations enabled significant reductions in onset-related behaviors relative to self-field operation. These improvements should lead to reduced anode erosion, i.e., improved thruster lifetime, and increased thruster efficiency with the applied fields. The applied fields used in this study differ from both the topologies and relative field strengths typically used in the vast majority of conventional, so-called "applied-field MPD thrusters" (AF-MPDTs). These results suggest a distinctive and more effective approach to influencing the near-anode phenomena and mitigating the deleterious effects of onset with appropriately designed applied magnetic fields.

delta-V↗
NASA NTRS2016

Facility Effect Characterization Test of NASA's HERMeS Hall Thruster

A test to characterize the effect of varying background pressure on NASA's 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding had being completed. This thruster is the baseline propulsion system for the Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM). Potential differences in thruster performance and oscillation characteristics when in ground facilities versus on-orbit are considered a primary risk for the propulsion system of the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission, which is a candidate for SEP TDM. The first primary objective of this test was to demonstrate that the tools being developed to predict the zero-background-pressure behavior of the thruster can provide self-consistent results. The second primary objective of this test was to provide data for refining a physics-based model of the thruster plume that will be used in spacecraft interaction studies. Diagnostics deployed included a thrust stand, Faraday probe, Langmuir probe, retarding potential analyzer, Wien filter spectrometer, and high-speed camera. From the data, a physics-based plume model was refined. Comparisons of empirical data to modeling results are shown.

Electric Propulsion↗
NASA NTRS2016

High Throughput 600 Watt Hall Effect Thruster for Space Exploration

A nominal 600-Watt Hall Effect Thruster was developed to propel unmanned space vehicles. Both xenon and iodine compatible versions were demonstrated. With xenon, peak measured thruster efficiency is 46-48% at 600-W, with specific impulse from 1400 s to 1700 s. Evolution of the thruster channel due to ion erosion was predicted through numerical models and calibrated with experimental measurements. Estimated xenon throughput is greater than 100 kg. The thruster is well sized for satellite station keeping and orbit maneuvering, either by itself or within a cluster.

Hall Thrusters↗
NASA NTRS2019

Variation in Ion Acceleration Characteristics of the HERMeS Hall Thruster During Magnetic Optimization

To reduce design risks for future magnetically shielded Hall thrusters, a test was performed on the HERMeS to obtain data for optimizing the effect of magnetic shielding. As a part of this test, laser-induced fluorescence velocimetry was used to characterize the variations in the ion acceleration with different magnetic configurations. Four magnetic configurations representing varying amounts of magnetic shielding between the high-energy discharge plasma and the discharge channel walls were tested. The ion velocity data points to the possibility that different plasma-wall interaction physics applies to a magnetically shielded thruster than a non-shielded thruster. The transition point is very prominent and can potentially be used to test whether a thruster is fully magnetically shielded.

Hall thrusters↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

HERMeS Thruster Magnetic Field Topology Optimization Study: Plasma Plume Results

NASA’s Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) 12.5-kW Technology Demonstration Unit-1 (TDU-1) has been the subject of extensive technology maturation in preparation for flight system development. The magnetic optimization study aims to explore and investigate alternate magnetic field topologies. Four candidate magnetic field topologies that reduce the effectiveness of the shielding along the discharge channel walls with the intent to also reduce the erosion rates along the front pole covers were designed. Three of the four candidate magnetic field topologies (B1, B2, and B4) have been manufactured and were subjected to an extensive test campaign that included laser induced fluorescence (LIF), performance, stability, wear, and plume characterization. In Phase I, LIF measurements along the discharge chamber centerline found that upstream retraction of the thruster’s peak magnetic field does result in an upstream shift of the acceleration zone, but the magnitude of the shift does not correspond one-to-one to the shift in the location of the peak radial magnetic field magnitude. Phase II test segment results found that at a normalized thruster magnetic field setting of 1, the thruster performance and discharge current oscillations were very similar for configurations B0-B2. Also in Phase II abbreviated wear tests found that average inner front pole cover erosion rates for configuration B1 were approximately 65% of those at B0, and the average erosion rates for configuration B2 were approximately 35% of those at B0. This paper reports on the detailed plasma plume mapping results for configurations B0-B4. Faraday probe results indicate that, at 600 V operation, the plume divergence increased slightly for the B4 configuration when compared to B0-B2. Wien filter spectrometer results found that at 600 V, lower multiply-charged species fractions were attained as the thruster transitioned from configurations B0 to B4. Finally, retarding potential analyzer results found that at 600 V operation and at angles above 60,˚ significantly lower high-energy ion content was found for configurations B2 and B4 when compared to B0 and B1.

Electric propulsion,.Hall thruster, laser diagnost↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Overview and Performance Characterization of Northrop Grumman’s 1 kW Hall Thruster String

Northrop Grumman (NG) Tactical Space SystemsDivisionhas embarked on the development and qualification of a high throughput, low power Hall Thruster String (HTS) using hardware designed and built in-house.Following the success of Mission Extension Vehicles 1 and 2, NG is currently developing the next generation in its lineupof satellite servicing capabilities, the Mission Robotics Vehicle(MRV)and Mission Extension Pod (MEP).MEP’s mission profile imposes highly demanding requirements upon the electric propulsion system. When surveying the industry for available systems, NGwas unable to identify any mature Hall thrustersystems that could satisfy the performance and lifetime requirements for MEP. Eventually, it was decided to vertically integrate the EP development process, partneringwith NASA Glenn Research Center to leverage ongoing development at GRC of a high throughput, low power Hall thruster. The components of the HTS have successfully passed PDR and are currently in the engineering development and test phase. Based on performancecharacterization testingof the development hardware,NG’s low power Hall thruster, dubbed the NGHT-1X, promises to deliver state-of-the-art performanceand lifetime for a sub-kW Hall thruster, achieving total efficiencies of 50-55% over a wide range of throttle conditions. Results of a seriesof characterization tests including integrated systems testingwith the PPUare presented.Qualification methodology andthruster lifetime verification is also discussed. Environmental qualification of the HTS components is expected to completein mid-2023 with a first flight in mid-2024.

Propulsion↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Extended Wear Testing of the 12-kW Advanced Electric Propulsion System Engineering Test Unit Hall Thruster

This work presents a summary of the first wear test of the 12 kW Advanced Electric Propulsion System (AEPS) intended to isolate the impact of discharge current on component wear rates. Testing was led by Aerojet Rocketdyne and performed with the AEPS Engineering Test Unit 2 (ETU-2) thruster. In total, approximately 860 hours of operation were accumulated split between operating conditions of 600 V/9 kW, 600 V/11 kW, and 600 V/12 kW. Thruster performance and stability were invariant throughout the wear test for all thruster throttle conditions and shown to be equal to the values previously measured with ETU-2. Inner front pole cover erosion rates were found to be invariant to discharge current as the measurements at all three operating conditions were equal to within the empirical uncertainty. Outer front pole cover erosion rates were found to be equal for the 600 V/9 kW and 600 V/12 kW conditions with operation at 600 V/11 kW yielding rates that were comparable to those on the inner front pole cover. Overall, the data shows that the AEPS thruster design has a high probability of meeting lifetime and performance requirements as the design proceeds to flight production and qualification.

HERMeS↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Side Plume of Magnetically Shielded Hall Thrusters

A combination of near-thruster laser-induced fluorescence and far-field plasma probe measurements collected from two magnetically shielded Hall thrusters have shown that there exist an independent ion population of medium-energy (on average, 60-190 eV) exiting out the side (60° to 100° from firing axis) of the thrusters. Studying the trends with background pressure and known discrepancies between the laser-induced fluorescence and far-field plasma probe data suggest that at zero pressure the side plume is likely to exhibit higher energy and lower density than at facility background pressures. The possibility that these ions were produced by the modified two-stream instability is explored and while the agreement is good, there are areas of notable disagreement. Based on the idea that production of the side plume and channel exit striations are due to the same plasma wave actions, a theory was explored that explains why striations form under certain circumstances but not others. Another theory, based on the idea that side plume production only occurs over certain portion of the global discharge oscillation cycle, was also explored and areas of disagreement were identified. While the exact mechanism for side plume acceleration remains unclear, if the theory behind side plume production is correct, then side plume can be expected to be present in a wide range of magnetically-shielded as well as non-shielded Hall thrusters.

Hall thruster↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

The Side Plume of Magnetically Shielded Hall Thrusters

A combination of near-thruster laser-induced fluorescence and far-field plasma probe measurements collected from two magnetically shielded Hall thrusters have shown that there exist an independent ion population of medium-energy (on average, 60-190 eV) exiting out the side (60° to 100° from firing axis) of the thrusters. Studying the trends with background pressure and known discrepancies between the laser-induced fluorescence and far-field plasma probe data suggest that at zero pressure the side plume is likely to exhibit higher energy and lower density than at facility background pressures. The possibility that these ions were produced by the modified two-stream instability is explored and while the agreement is good, there are areas of notable disagreement. Based on the idea that production of the side plume and channel exit striations are due to the same plasma wave actions, a theory was explored that explains why striations form under certain circumstances but not others. Another theory, based on the idea that side plume production only occurs over certain portion of the global discharge oscillation cycle, was also explored and areas of disagreement were identified. While the exact mechanism for side plume acceleration remains unclear, if the theory behind side plume production is correct, then side plume can be expected to be present in a wide range of magnetically-shielded as well as non-shielded Hall thrusters.

Electric propulsion↗
NASA NTRS1968

Power Matching of an Ion Thruster to Solar Cell Power Output

A 20-cm-diam thruster was operated over a 2:1 range of output power, allowing for continuous matching of thruster power to a varying solar cell output level. The technique of matching power by varying either the ion beam current or the net accelerating voltage is described. Ion beam current control, implemented in thruster control loops, utilized existing laboratory hardware. Stable thruster operation was achieved over a range of 1000 to 2000 W. Bistable values of mercury propellant flow at the same discharge chamber and ion beam conditions were also observed.

Pawlik, Eugene V.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Integrated monopropellant thruster

Application of vortex amplifier principles to throttling of monopropellant thrusters is described. Integration of flow control, catalyst bed, and thruster nozzle is accomplished by design of thruster. Diagrams of thrusters are provided to show details of construction and operation.

Mangion, C.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Optical radiation from regions downstream of mercury bombardment thrusters

A 0.5 meter focal length, plane grating monochromator was used to measure the radiance of spectral radiation emanating from regions downstream of a mercury bombardment thruster. The wavelength range investigated was 2800 A. This radiation was due primarily to the radiative decay of excited mercury atoms exhausted from the thruster. Radiance values ranged from 10 to the minus 11th power to 10 to the minus 9th power W/sq cm sr, varying with wavelength. For resonant radiation, the spectral radiance may exceed 10 to the minus 8th power W/sq cm sr. From such radiance measurements, it was concluded that the thruster background radiation should not interfere with the control functions of a star tracker viewing through the thruster exhaust, provided that the tracker is designed to operate with a sufficiently small field of view.

Milder, N. L.↗
NASA NTRS1971

Kaufman thruster development at Lewis Research Center (LeRC)

The current status of research programs on mercury electron bombardment thrusters is reviewed. Future thruster requirements predicted from mission analysis are briefly discussed to establish the relationship with present programs. Thrusters ranging in size from 5 to 150 cm diameter are described. These thrusters have possible near to far term applications extending from stationkeeping to primary propulsion. Beam currents range from 10 mA at to 25 A at accelerating potentials of 500 to 5000 V.

Kerslake, W. R.↗