セシウム・イオン・エンジンの地上実験
1968 年 16 巻 177 号 p. 358-363
詳細
1968 年 16 巻 177 号 p. 358-363
A cesium contact ion engine with a tubular tungsten ionizer was tested in a vacuum tank. The tank is 1. 2 meter in diameter and 3. 5 meter in length. The tank pressure was maintained in the range of 10-6 Torr during operation.
The ionizer is a tungsten tube 2.5 mm in diameter and about 60 mm in length. Atoms of cesium are ionized on the surface of the ionizer at the temperature of 1, 300°K to 1, 600°K, and the ions are accelerated by an electrostatic field. The high speed ion beam is neutralized by electrons from a neutralizing electrode. The maximum beam current was 1.2 mA. Neutralization was attained in the vacum tank test, but under certain condition an intense high frequency oscillation appeared at the frequency of about 10 MHz.
The ionizer reliability was tested by a 200-hourcontinuous operation. During and after operation, there were no changes in the ionizer characteristics.
