Characteristics of a micro-multi-plasmajet-array thruster

• Main Authors: Kobayashi, Akira, Shun, Takenaka, Naoto, Kobayashi, Hideyuki, Horisawa
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
• Online Access: http://eprints.utm.my/id/eprint/62072/; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0042207X1630313X
• Institution: Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Characterization of a micro multi-plasmajet-array thruster consisting of 6x6 micro-nozzle elements with electrically isolated needle cathodes was conducted. It was also shown that typical values of the average thrust, specific impulse and thrust efficiency were 39 mN, 107 sec and 0.33, respectively, at mass flow of 37.5 mg/sec and input power of 27 W.Comparing the 6x6 thruster with a 3x3 thruster, it was shown that thrust performance was significantly improved by increasing number of nozzle elements.