Abstract
Plasma velocity measurement of quasi-steady MPD thrusters was carried out to investigate the dependence of the exhaust plasma velocity characteristics on the discharge chamber configurations. The velocities at the exit of MPD channels and PF-series MPD arcjets, which were designed to generate a high axial current, were measured by a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Plasma velocities exhausted from the MPD channel exit were above a sonic velocity in this operational conditions. However, for a large cathode radius, it is inferred that the effect of the friction between the plasma and the cathode surface could not be ignored. On the other hand, the velocity profiles for PF arcjets were dependent on the anode radius and the mass flow rates, and the experimental velocities were larger than the theoretical ones derived from the electromagnetic thrust.
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