Initial on-orbit performance of hydrazine arcjets on A2100 satellites

Zube, Dieter M.; Lichen, Paul G.; Cohen, Dan; Lichtin, A.; Bailey, John; Chilelli, Nicholas V.

doi:10.2514/6.1999-2272

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…It adopts an arc propulsion system as its standard configuration and is one of the most successful satellite platforms in the world at present [3]. Russia, Germany, Italy, Japan, and other countries have also carried out applied research on arc propulsion technology [4][5][6][7][8]. In China, the Beijing Control Engineering Research Institute, a national fixed-point arc propulsion technology engineering research unit, has developed a 2-kW hydrazine arc propulsion system used in the satellite's north-south position protection.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on High Voltage Protection of Arc Thruster Power Control Unit

Peng,

Li,

et al. 2023

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research on High Voltage Protection of Arc Thruster Power Control Unit

Peng,

Li,

et al. 2023

J. Phys.: Conf. Ser.

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Resistojets and Arcjets

Hoskins¹

2010

Encyclopedia of Aerospace Engineering

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The simplest forms of electrically augmented propulsion for spacecraft are resistance‐heated and arc‐heated thrusters, generally called resistojets and arcjets, respectively. As with all forms of electric propulsion, electric energy added from the spacecraft increases the specific impulse over that achievable with a chemical reaction and expansion through a nozzle. With electrothermal devices, the added energy is imparted to the propellant as thermal energy. In the specific case of the resistojet, energy is added to the propellant with a resistance heater. In the case of an arcjet, an arc is drawn directly through the propellant between a cathode and an anode. The augmented specific impulse is limited by the maximum temperature tolerable by key components over the necessary life of the thruster. The maximum thrust as a function of input electrical power is limited by the efficiency with which the electrical energy is coupled into and contained within the flow and by the efficiency with which the flow enthalpy is converted to axial kinetic energy in the expansion. Resistojets and arcjets have been in development since the late 1950s and have been used on well over 200 spacecraft. This chapter describes the basic construction of these devices, illustrates relationships governing their performance, and surveys the performance demonstrated by a range of laboratory and flight qualified models.

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