NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
An Experimental Investigation of an Arcjet Thruster Exhaust Using Langmuir ProbesElectrostatic (Langmuir) probes of both spherical and cylindrical geometry have been used to obtain electron number density and temperature in the exhaust of a laboratory arcjet. The arcjet thruster operated on nitrogen and hydrogen mixtures to simulate fully decomposed hydrazine in a vacuum environment with background pressures less than 5 x 10 to the -2 Pa. The exhaust appears to be only slightly ionized (less than 1 percent) with local plasma potentials near facility ground. The current-voltage characteristics of the probes indicate a Maxwellian temperature distribution. Plume data are presented as a function of arcjet operating condition and also position in the exhaust.
Document ID
19880011869
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Carney, Lynnette M.
(NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
September 5, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1988
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
NASA-TM-100258
E-3883
NAS 1.15:100258
Accession Number
88N21253
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 506-42-31
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
No Preview Available