Characterization and Improvement of a Laser-Assisted Pulsed Plasma Thruster

Abstract

To investigate mechanisms of high-specific impulse characteristics, or high speed plasma generation, of a laser-assisted pulsed plasma thruster, speeds of ions of plasma plumes exhausted from the thruster were measured with the time-of-flight (TOF) measurement. In the measurement, temporal variations of ion currents exhausted from the thruster were measured with a Faraday cup. From the results of single Faraday cup measurement, placed at 400 mm away from the thruster, the maximum speed of ions of 169 km/sec at charge voltage of 2000 V (or charge energy of 14 J) was obtained. On the other hand, with double Faraday cup measurement, installed at 400 mm and 600 mm, the maximum ion speed was 220 km/sec at charge voltage of 2000 V.