Arcjet plume ionization effects on exposed solar array conducting surfaces
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Authors
Evert, Richard William
Subjects
Arcjet
Electrothermal propulsion
Electrothermal propulsion
Advisors
Olsen, Richard C.
Date of Issue
1991-09
Date
September 1991
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
en_US
Abstract
High efficiency arcjet propulsion will be used in the near future for satellite orbit adjustment and eventually for orbit transfer. Testing is currently being conducted to explore spacecraft interface difficulties with this method of propulsion. This thesis looks at one aspect of this interface. Since most earth orbiting spacecraft use solar arrays for power generation, it is of interest to investigate how exposed, biased conducting surfaces will interact with the slightly ionized plume environment of the arcjet thruster. It was found that with the arcjet thruster mounted 25.4 cm above the solar array, firing along its axis at a 20 degree cant angle, electrical currents were indeed collected. The effect of having a constricted area exposed to the plume was to increase the current density. The electron densities at typical solar array distances were found to be 10 to the 10th to 10 to the 12th power/cu.m. An estimate of the total power lost for an array in this configuration showed that 0.05% of the overall power is lost due to collected currents.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
Organization
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.)
Identifiers
NPS Report Number
Sponsors
Funder
Format
63 p.;28 cm.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.