Design of a Water Vapor Generation System for Supplying Propellant to a Microwave Electrothermal Thruster

Microwave Electrothermal Thrusters (METs) are a promising propulsion technology for space applications, offering efficient performance with minimal fuel consumption. However, generating the necessary plasma in METs has been a challenge, particularly when using water vapor as a propellant. This research aims to design and develop an innovative system to generate the required water vapor for plasma initiation in a 2.45 GHz MET. The proposed system utilizes a syringe pump to deliver liquid water to a heated pipe, with the water vapor passing through metal tubing insulated with heat tape to prevent condensation. The system incorporates a condensation detection mechanism to monitor vapor quality at the point of injection into the MET. This design seeks to address the challenge of creating a steady, high-quality flow of water vapor with minimal power consumption, which is crucial for power-limited spacecraft such as CubeSats. Future work will involve experimental testing and optimization to evaluate the system's effectiveness in generating plasma and reducing specific energy, ultimately contributing to the development of more efficient propulsion systems for small spacecraft.