Thrust Measurement of Magnetic Sail for Various Tilt Angles

Abstract

Magnetic Sail, which generates thrust by utilizing the interaction between the artificial magnetic field and the solar wind plasma stream, is next generation propulsion for deep space exploration. In this study, thrust of Magnetic Sail scale model, which correspond to 10 N-class Magnetic Sail in space, for various tilt angles were measured with the parallelogram-pendulum thrust stand. The magnetospheric size L=0.1 m (60 Am 2 of magnetic moment) of Magnetic Sail was demonstrated and measured thrust for tilt angle 0 degrees (dipole-moment perpendicular to the plasma flow) was about 1.2 N which correspond to 10 N-class Magnetic Sail in space. Thrust increase with increasing of tilt angles and was about 1.5 times as large as that of 0 degrees case in the case of 90 degrees.