This important new book explains the fundamentals of electric propulsion for spacecraft and describes in detail the physics and characteristics of the two major electric thrusters in use today, ion and Hall thrusters. The authors provide an introduction to plasma physics in order to allow readers to understand the models and derivations used in determining electric thruster performance. Next, they present detailed explanations of: thruster principles; ion thruster plasma generators and accelerator grids; hollow cathodes; hall thrusters; ion and Hall thruster plumes; and flight ion and Hall thrusters.

Dan M. Goebel, PhD, is a Senior Research Scientist in the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at JPL in Pasadena, California. Since joining JPL in 2003, he has worked on the development of high-efficiency ion thrusters, advanced long life cathodes and grids, and electric-thruster life models for deep space missions. He is a world-recognized expert in ion thrusters, cathodes, advanced plasma sources, microwave sources, high-voltage engineering, and pulsed power switches.?

Ira Katz, PhD, has led the Advanced Propulsion Technology Group at NASA JPL since 2001. Group accomplishments during his tenure include the development and testing of the 25 kW NEXIS ion thruster, successful completion of the world's longest electric thruster life test, development of technology and support for precision formation flying missions (ST7, Lisa, TPF-I), and laboratory investigations and computer modeling of fundamental electric propulsion physics. Dr. Katz is recognized as a world leader in computer modeling of spacecraft-plasma interactions, spacecraft charging, and ion thruster physics.

Note from the Series Editor	p. ix
Foreword	p. xi
Preface	p. xiii
Acknowledgments	p. xv
Introduction	p. 1
Electric Propulsion Background	p. 2
Electric Thruster Types	p. 3
Ion Thruster Geometry	p. 6
Hall Thruster Geometry	p. 6
Beam/Plume Characteristics	p. 9
References	p. 11
Thruster Principles	p. 15
The Rocket Equation	p. 15
Force Transfer in Ion and Hall Thrusters	p. 18
Thrust	p. 21
Specific Impulse	p. 25
Thruster Efficiency	p. 27
Power Dissipation	p. 30
Neutral Densities and Ingestion in Electric Thrusters	p. 32
References	p. 34
Problems	p. 35
Basic Plasma Physics	p. 37
Introduction	p. 37
Maxwell's Equations	p. 38
Single Particle Motions	p. 39
Particle Energies and Velocities	p. 43
Plasma as a Fluid	p. 46
Momentum Conservation	p. 46
Particle Conservation	p. 48
Energy Conservation	p. 51
Diffusion in Partially Ionized Gases	p. 54
Collisions	p. 55
Diffusion and Mobility Without a Magnetic Field	p. 60
Diffusion Across Magnetic Fields	p. 66
Sheaths at the Boundaries of Plasmas	p. 71
Debye Sheaths	p. 73
Pre-Sheaths	p. 76
Child-Langmuir Sheaths	p. 79
Generalized Sheath Solution	p. 81
Double Sheaths	p. 84
Summary of Sheath Effects	p. 86
References	p. 88
Problems	p. 89
Ion Thruster Plasma Generators	p. 91
Introduction	p. 91
Idealized Ion Thruster Plasma Generator	p. 93
DC Discharge Ion Thruster	p. 100
Generalized 0-D Ring-Cusp Ion Thruster Model	p. 102
Magnetic Multipole Boundaries	p. 105
Electron Confinement	p. 108
Ion Confinement at the Anode Wall	p. 110
Ion and Excited Neutral Production	p. 117
Neutral and Primary Densities in the Discharge Chamber	p. 120
Power and Energy Balance in the Discharge Chamber	p. 124
Discharge Loss	p. 126
Discharge Stability	p. 133
Recycling Behavior	p. 137
Limitations of a 0-D Model	p. 141
Kaufman Ion Thrusters	p. 142
rf Ion Thrusters	p. 148
Microwave Ion Thrusters	p. 158
2-D Computer Models of the Ion Thruster Discharge Chamber	p. 171
Neutral Atom Model	p. 172
Primary Electron Motion and Ionization Model	p. 176
Discharge Chamber Model Results	p. 179
References	p. 182
Problems	p. 187
Ion Thruster Accelerator Grids	p. 189
Grid Configurations	p. 190
Ion Accelerator Basics	p. 196
Ion Optics	p. 200
Ion Trajectories	p. 200
Perveance Limits	p. 204
Grid Expansion and Alignment	p. 206
Electron Backstreaming	p. 208
High-Voltage Considerations	p. 216
Electrode Breakdown	p. 217
Molybdenum Electrodes	p. 218
Carbon-Carbon Composite Materials	p. 221
Pyrolytic Graphite	p. 223
Hold-off and Conditioning in Ion Thrusters	p. 224
Ion Accelerator Grid Life	p. 225
Grid Models	p. 227
Barrel Erosion	p. 230
Pits-and-Grooves Erosion	p. 232
References	p. 235
Problems	p. 240
Hollow Cathodes	p. 243
Introduction	p. 243
Cathode Configurations	p. 248
Thermionic Electron Emitter Characteristics	p. 251
Insert Region Plasma	p. 256
Orifice Region Plasma	p. 270
Hollow Cathode Thermal Models	p. 281
Cathode Plume-Region Plasma	p. 283
Hollow Cathode Life	p. 292
Dispenser Cathodes in Insert Plasmas	p. 293
Cathode Insert Temperature	p. 296
Barium Depletion Model	p. 298
Bulk-Material Insert Life	p. 302
Cathode Poisoning	p. 304
Keeper Wear and Life	p. 306
Hollow Cathode Operation	p. 309
References	p. 315
Problems	p. 321
Hall Thrusters	p. 325
Introduction	p. 325
Thruster Operating Principles and Scaling	p. 329
Crossed-Field Structure and the Hall Current	p. 330
Ionization Length and Scaling	p. 334
Potential and Current Distributions	p. 337
Hall Thruster Performance Models	p. 341
Hall Thruster Efficiency	p. 341
Multiply Charged Ion Correction	p. 345
Dominant Power Loss Mechanisms	p. 347
Plasma Electron Temperature	p. 357
Hall Thruster Efficiency (Dielectric Walls)	p. 359
TAL Hall Thruster Efficiency (Metallic Walls)	p. 363
Dielectric-Wall Versus Metallic-Wall Comparison	p. 364
Channel Physics and Numerical Modeling	p. 365
Hybrid Hall Thruster Models	p. 366
Steady-State Modeling Results	p. 372
Oscillations in Hall Thrusters	p. 376
Hall Thruster Life	p. 379
References	p. 384
Problems	p. 389
Ion and Hall Thruster Plumes	p. 393
Introduction	p. 393
Plume Physics	p. 395
Plume Measurements	p. 395
Flight Data	p. 396
Laboratory Plume Measurements	p. 398
Plume Models	p. 400
Primary Beam Expansion	p. 400
Neutral Gas Plumes	p. 407
Secondary-Ion Generation	p. 408
Spacecraft Interactions	p. 410
Momentum of the Plume Particles	p. 412
Sputtering and Contamination	p. 413
Plasma Interactions with Solar Arrays	p. 415
Interactions with Payloads	p. 418
Microwave Phase Shift	p. 418
Plume Plasma Optical Emission	p. 419
References	p. 422
Problems	p. 424
Flight Ion and Hall Thrusters	p. 429
Introduction	p. 429
Ion Thrusters	p. 429
Hall Thrusters	p. 440
References	p. 443
Appendices
Nomenclature	p. 447
Gas Flow Unit Conversions and Cathode Pressure Estimates	p. 463
Energy Loss by Electrons	p. 467
Ionization and Excitation Cross Sections for Xenon	p. 471
Ionization and Excitation Reaction Rates for Xenon in Maxwellian Plasmas	p. 475
Electron Relaxation and Thermalization Times	p. 479
Clausing Factor Monte Carlo Calculation	p. 483
Index	p. 487
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

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