Abstract

Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPTs) are long standing electric propulsion thrusters that are reliable, relatively simple and low cost. One of the main issues with PPTs is its low efficiency (discharge energy vs. exhaust jet‟s kinetic energy), typically between 3-8%. One of the main contributors for the low performance in PPTs is the late time ablation (LTA). LTA is the sublimation of propellant that takes place after the main discharge, due to the propellant, usually Teflon ® , temperature being above its sublimation point. The LTA produces a low speed gas and macro particles that does not contribute significantly to produce thrust. The High Frequency Pulsed Plasma Thruster (HFB-PPT) is a novel patented design that aims at accelerating the late time ablation by employing additional discharges after the main discharge. This paper presents the HFB-PPT concept and preliminary results.

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