Abstract
Hall thrusters have been increasingly used in deep space exploration and commercial communication satellites. This is because they have a simpler structure and higher thrust density than ion engines. For the further development of space exploration, there is a need to reduce the cost and weight of spacecraft. In most Hall thrusters, xenon has been used as the propellant because it has the advantages of high relative density, low ionization cost, and non-toxicity. However, xenon is expensive and requires a heavy tank for a high-pressure filling. As inexpensive and low-pressure-storable propellants, we focused on carbon dioxide (as dry ice). In this study, a 100 W-class Hall thruster was operated using xenon and carbon dioxide as propellants. The thrust was measured using a thrust stand, and the anode efficiency was calculated from the measurement results. The thrust of the carbon dioxide operation was one-fifth that of the xenon operation, and the anode efficiency was one-seventieth that of the xenon operation. The results were discussed in terms of mass utilization efficiency and chemical composition in the plume, suggesting that the loss of mass utilization efficiency and loss due to dissociation are some of the factors that contribute to the reduction of propulsion performance.
https://ror.org/01w6wtk13 
