Abstract
Indium liquid metal ion sources have been flying for more than 10 years on a variety of spacecraft for spacecraft potential control and as the core element of mass spectrometers. Since 1995, a dedicated indium field emission electric propulsion (In-FEEP) thruster has been under development and recently passed a 2000-h endurance test. The In-FEEP thruster is a micropropulsion device for the 1-100 μN thrust range with low thrust noise and high resolution. The latest performance characteristics including direct thrust measurements and beam profiles are summarized. This information is very important for many upcoming missions that require ultraprecise drag-free control such as the Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Mission, LISA, Terrestrial Planet Finder/Darwin, or SMART-2.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
