Research on the influence of pre-ionization initial plasma density on the thrust performance of magnetic reconnection electric propulsion

Magnetic reconnection space electric propulsion is a new type of advanced space power technology with a power level of hundreds of kilowatts and above, and it has broad application prospects in deep space exploration, space cargo transportation, and other fields. Aimed at the problem that thrust performance is limited by the low density of pre-ionized plasma in this propulsion technology, this paper proposes a time-sequence-controlled secondary ionization method for high-density plasma. This study combines near-quantum wave packet dynamics simulations and experimental research. Near-quantum wave packet dynamics describes the quantum motion of particles via wave packet models, enabling accurate capture of the dynamic processes of plasma particle interaction and ionization under external field action. These combined results indicate that the thrust of magnetic reconnection space electric propulsion increases significantly with the rise in the initial plasma density of secondary auxiliary pre-ionization. Specifically, when the initial plasma density increases from 6.56 × 1018 to 9.2 × 1018 m−3, the thrust rises from 0.5 to 0.85 mN, corresponding to an increase of ∼70%. Meanwhile, under specific operating conditions (argon propellant flow rate of 40 sccm, background magnetic field of 350 Gs, and radio frequency pre-ionization power of 500 W), secondary ionization exhibits an optimal discharge time of 80 μs. This research reveals the dependence of magnetic reconnection electric propulsion thrust on the initial plasma density and provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the subsequent optimization of thruster performance parameters and engineering design.