NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Recommended Practices in Thrust MeasurementsAccurate, direct measurement of thrust or impulse is one of the most critical elements of electric thruster characterization, and one of the most difficult measurements to make. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics has started an initiative to develop standards for many important measurement processes in electric propulsion, including thrust measurements. This paper summarizes recommended practices for the design, calibration, and operation of pendulum thrust stands, which are widely recognized as the best approach for measuring micro N- to mN-level thrust and micro Ns-level impulse bits. The fundamentals of pendulum thrust stand operation are reviewed, along with its implementation in hanging pendulum, inverted pendulum, and torsional balance configurations. Methods of calibration and recommendations for calibration processes are presented. Sources of error are identified and methods for data processing and uncertainty analysis are discussed. This review is intended to be the first step toward a recommended practices document to help the community produce high quality thrust measurements.
Document ID
20150008062
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
External Source(s)
Authors
Polk, James E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Pancotti, Anthony
(Mathematical Sciences Northwest, Inc. Redmond, WA, United States)
Haag, Thomas
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
King, Scott
(Georgia Inst. of Tech. Atlanta, GA, United States)
Walker, Mitchell
(Georgia Inst. of Tech. Atlanta, GA, United States)
Blakely, Joseph
(Air Force Research Lab. Edwards AFB, CA, United States)
Ziemer, John
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
May 13, 2015
Publication Date
October 6, 2013
Subject Category
Ground Support Systems And Facilities (Space)
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
IEPC-2013-440
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC2013)
Location: Washington, D. C.
Country: United States
Start Date: October 6, 2013
End Date: October 10, 2013
Sponsors: Electric Rocket Propulsion Society, George Washington Univ.
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
microthrusters
pendulum

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available