Plasma contactor performance characterization
Abstract
The plasma contactor performance is outlined. Some performance objectives are given including expellant compatibility, high electron production capability, high ion production capability, high reliability for starting and operation, passive emission control, switchover capability between ion/electron emission, low ion and electron energies, low system mass, and low expellant consumption rate. The basic elements of the hollow cathode are shown along with key features of the plasma source.
- Publication:
-
In NASA
- Pub Date:
- June 1986
- Bibcode:
- 1986atsw....1..483W
- Keywords:
-
- Contactors;
- Electron Emission;
- Ion Emission;
- Space Plasmas;
- Strongly Coupled Plasmas;
- Thermionic Emission;
- Argon;
- Expellants;
- Hollow Cathodes;
- Ionization;
- Space Charge;
- Xenon;
- Communications and Radar