ELECTROTHERMAL THRUSTERS

RESEARCH ON A NOVEL ELECTROTHERMAL THRUSTER CONCEPT IS PROPOSED. THIS PROPOSED CONCEPT PROVIDES FOR STABLE, TOTAL MAGNETIC CONTAINMENT AND EXPANSION OF THE IONIZED PROPELLANT. IT AVOIDS THE SPECIFIC IMPULSE LIMITATIONS DUE TO HEAT TRANSFER OF CONVENTIONAL PHYSCAL NOZZLE ELECTROTHERMAL THRUSTERS. IT OFFERS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS IN OPERATING LIFE AND EFFICIENCY OVER PRIOR PARTIALLY MAGNETIC CONTAINED EXTERNAL MAGNETIC FIELD MPD THRUSTERS WHICH A DECADE AGO DEMONSTRATED EFFICIENCIES OF 35% AT SPECIFIC IMPULSES OF 2000-3000 SEC. AND OPERATING LIVES OF 500-1000 HOURS. RESEARCH ON THOSE THRUSTERS WAS TERMIATED IN THE EARLY 1970'S BEACUSE OF A DECLINE IN INTEREST IN HIGH POWER ELECTRIC PROPULSION. RECENT REVIEWED INTEREST IN EARTHORBIT ELECTRIC PROPULSION FOR ORBIT RAISING, MANEUVERING, AND/OR DRAG CANCELLATION HAS STIMULATED A RENEWED INTEREST IN HIGH-PERFORMANCE 2000-3000 SECOND SPECIFIC IMPULSE THRUSTERS. THE PROPOSED THRUSTERS CONCEPT, WHICH INNOVATIVELY BUILDS ON THE BEST OF THE PAST TECHNOLOGY, COULD BE THE PRIME CANDIDATE TO MEET SUCH MISSION RE QUIREMENTS. IN PHASE I ALTERNATE APPROACHES FOR HEATING A COMPLETELY MAGNETICALLY CONTAINED ELECTRTHERMAL THRUSTERR WILL BE EVALUATED, A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN OF THE MOST PROMISING TYPE THRUSTER WILL BE DEVELOPED ALONG WITH PERFORMANCE ESTMATES, AND IT'S POTENTIAL WILL BE COMPARED WITH ALTERNATIVE THRUSTERS.