Electric Propulsion Engines Research Articles

Modeling of a discharge in crossed fields with account of collisions and ionization

A one-dimensional mathematical model is proposed for calculating the characteristics of a discharge in crossed electric and magnetic fields. In particular, the model can be applied for calculating electric propulsion engines with closed (azimuthal) drift of electrons.

Ослабление радиосигналов и искажение радиолокационных характеристик космических аппаратов плазменными струями электрореактивных двигателей

Ослабление радиосигналов и искажение радиолокационных характеристик космических аппаратов плазменными струями электрореактивных двигателей

Приближенные модели струй электрореактивных двигателей космических аппаратов

Приближенные модели струй электрореактивных двигателей космических аппаратов

President to make space propulsion decision

President Carter is being approached this month by a committee that includes Frank Press and OMB officials whose purpose it is to obtain support for further development of the huge energy‐yielding solar electric propulsion engine (SEP) so that this country can continue its plans for space exploration. The accompanying Figure 1 tells the story. The solid lines show the injected mass versus the available energy of the current IUS (inertial upper stage) engine to be used with shuttle. Only the ‘low‐energy’ missions can be accomplished, even with the most efficient combination of shuttle and IUS (the four‐stage IUS curve), but the major space objectives, including cometary missions and missions to the planets and asteroids, will require more energy than is available from conventional rockets. An article in a recent issue of Aviation Week states that OMB has, on its own, decided to withdraw funding of SEP (sometimes called the ‘ion engine’) development, a move that could greatly hinder further space exploration in the next decade. Unfortunately, the lead time required for these difficult and complicated missions ranges from years to a decade or more, and short‐sighted budgeting could cause the U.S. to lose its advantageous lead in space.

Investigation of High-Frequency Power Conversion and Generator Techniques

This paper reports on an investigation of techniques concerned with development of efficient and lightweight power conversion units for use with space power systems currently being developed. Results of the investigation provide an insight into the best system approach for supplying high frequency power. The effort was accomplished as part of Contract AF33(657)-11049 for the Research and Technology Division of Air Force Systems Command with Captain Harold L. Briggs as the Project Officer. Specifically, the conversion units analyzed are for supplying high-frequency (50 to 800KC), high-voltage power to accelerate plasma in an electric propulsion engine. Various conversion and power generation techniques are reviewed. Conceptual designs are established for conversion of 60 KW and 300 KW of power from a basic nuclear turbine system. A high frequency alternator is compared with a low frequency alternator using a frequency converter. A number of high frequency alternators are compared. Also, three frequency converter approaches are evaluated and compared; namely, a motor-generator unit, a transistor unit and a vacuum tube unit. The alternate system approaches are compared. Significant design data was derived for a high-speed, solid-rotor type of generator for generating a c power with frequencies up to 200 KC. Parametric data is included to show component sizes, weights and losses for converter units and high-frequency generator concepts. Problem areas for each conversion and generation technique are outlined.

Electric propulsion

Development of electric propulsion engines should shift the emphasis from the question of feasibility to the problems of efficiency, lifetime, and reliability. As flight testing continues, the electrical engineer will gradually replace the physicist in the development of better instrumentation, electrical designs, and electric power supplies