Long-Life Technology for Space Flight Hall Thrusters

Abstract

The vastly improved durability of spacecrafts, coupled with the simultaneous continuous development of thrusters for high power output, has created a strong demand for Hall thrusters (HT) with long service lives. However, erosion of the discharge channel walls by high-energy ions is the most impactful and visible process that limits the lifetime of the thruster. This process is very sensitive to the operation mode of the thruster and the corresponding power density. We hereby present the results of our investigation on the factors that limit the lifetime of Hall thrusters, and three proven techniques for improving longevity of use including magnetic shielding (MS), wall-less technology, and aftmagnetic fields with large gradient.