Particle-in-Cell Simulation of a Down-Scaled HEMP Thruster

Tim BRANDT; Ralf SCHNEIDER; Julia DURAS; Daniel KAHNFELD; Franz Georg HEY; Holger KERSTEN; Frank JANSEN; Claus BRAXMAIER

doi:10.2322/tastj.14.Pb_235

b) Electric and Advanced Propulsion : Joint session with 34th IEPC

Particle-in-Cell Simulation of a Down-Scaled HEMP Thruster

Tim BRANDT, Ralf SCHNEIDER, Julia DURAS, Daniel KAHNFELD, Franz Georg HEY, Holger KERSTEN, Frank JANSEN, Claus BRAXMAIER

Author information

Tim BRANDT
DLR, Institute of Space Systems
Center of Applied Space Technology an Microgravity, University of Bremen
Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel
Ralf SCHNEIDER
Institute of Physics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald
Julia DURAS
Institute of Physics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald
Department of Applied Mathematics, Physics and Humanities, Nuremberg Institute of Technology
Daniel KAHNFELD
Institute of Physics, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald
Franz Georg HEY
Airbus Defence and Space, Claude-Dornierstraße 1
Holger KERSTEN
Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel
Frank JANSEN
DLR, Institute of Space Systems
Claus BRAXMAIER
DLR, Institute of Space Systems
Center of Applied Space Technology an Microgravity, University of Bremen

Keywords: HEMPT, Cusped Field Thrusters, Magnetized Plasmas, Plasma Simulation, Particle-in-Cell Method

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2016 Volume 14 Issue ists30 Pages Pb_235-Pb_242

DOI https://doi.org/10.2322/tastj.14.Pb_235

Details

Abstract

We present an electrostatic Particle-in-Cell simulation of a downscaled High Efficiency Multistage Plasma Thruster (HEMPT). The purpose of downscaling the HEMPT design is to reach the requirements of missions which have a need for low thrust (0.1...150 μN) and low noise (root of the noise spectral density ≤ 0.1 μN/√Hz). These are upcoming formation flying space missions like eLISA (evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) or NGGM (Next Generation Gravity Mission). The aim of the here presented numerical simulations is to get an improved understanding of the thruster's physics especially in its downscaled configuration, in order to reach the design goals.

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