Ions receiver-decelerator for long-term EP tests
Abstract
A problem of suppression of influence of metal atoms flow, having been created as the result of the target spraying by ions, affects the lifetime of the thruster structural elements following long-term electric propulsion (EP) tests. A radical solution of this problem is connected with their being decelerated to a point which is lower than that of the threshold of the cathodic spraying of metals (40 eV). Theoretical and experimental results of the investigation of an ion receiver, based on the deceleration of ions in crossed ExB fields, are presented in this paper. An ion receiver was designed for the reception of a jet from the stationary plasma thruster (SPT) with ion beam current of up to 2A and ion energy of up to 500 eV. It is shown that deep ion deceleration might be obtained at a low power consumption of an ion receiver.
- Publication:
-
Space Technology and Science
- Pub Date:
- 1992
- Bibcode:
- 1992spte.symp..373V
- Keywords:
-
- Atoms;
- Deceleration;
- Electric Propulsion;
- Ion Beams;
- Ion Engines;
- Metals;
- Plasma Spraying;
- Receivers;
- Degradation;
- Electric Fields;
- Electrodes;
- Magnetic Fields;
- Vacuum Chambers;
- Spacecraft Propulsion and Power