Operation of a plasma thruster featuring a 1.1 T high temperature superconducting magnet
Abstract Increasingly ambitious space missions rely upon the advancement of propulsion systems, and innovations in electric propulsion represent a vital step toward potential solutions. Electric propulsion research has indicated improved thruster performance at higher magnetic fields, but real-world implementations have been encumbered by available magnet technology. In this study, a new class of superconducting magnet designed for such space applications is demonstrated. A central cathode electrostatic thruster was paired with a conduction cooled high temperature superconducting magnet operated in non-pulsed mode. Using Xe propellant, thrust of 38–73 mN was measured at a central bore magnetic field of 1.13 T and on-anode field of 1.28 T, and the thruster’s specific impulse was throttled between 1050s and 1450s. The peak thruster efficiency was 18.7%, inclusive of the power consumption of the magnet subsystems. This was performed without the onset of plasma instabilities, and is the first case in the literature of a high temperature superconducting plasma thruster operating at >1 T.
Authors
- Daisuke Ichihara (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4249-9300)
- Nicholas J. Long (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2412-0683)
- Kiyoshi Kinefuchi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0587-4711)
- Cameron Shellard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5172-5793)
- Stuart C. Wimbush (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1636-643X)
- Nick Strickland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2784-1216)
- Jamal R. Olatunji (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2203-8873)
- Betina Pavri (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5133-7242)
- Max Goddard-Winchester
- Jakub Głowacki (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7660-3498)
- Chris R. Acheson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6125-9970)
- Ryota Nakano (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9840-2416)
- Konstantinos Bouloukakis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4315-5021)
- Randy Pollock (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7206-3989)
- Daiki Maeshima
- Ryoyu Mori
- Ryohei Takagi
Institutions
- Victoria University of Wellington (NZ)
- Nagoya University (JP)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Electric Propulsion
- Published
- 2024-09-13
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s44205-024-00080-3
- Citations
- 10
- Primary Topic
- Plasma Diagnostics and Applications
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 2.09
Funders
- Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science