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High performance auxiliary-propulsion ion thruster with ion-machined accelerator gridAn improvement in thruster performance was achieved by reducing the diameter of the accelerator grid holes. The smaller accelerator grid holes resulted in a reduction in neutral mercury atoms escaping the discharge chamber, which in turn enhanced the discharge propellant utilization from approximately 68 percent to 92 percent. The accelerator grids were fabricated by ion machining with an 8-centimeter-diameter thruster, and the screen grid holes individually focused ion beamlets onto the blank accelerator grid. The resulting accelerator grid holes are less than 1.12 millimeters in diameter, while previously used accelerator grids had hole diameters of 1.69 millimeters. The thruster could be operated with the small-hole accelerator grid at neutralizer potential.
Document ID
19750006756
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Technical Memorandum (TM)
Authors
Hudson, W. R. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Banks, B. A. (NASA Lewis Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
September 3, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1975
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
E-8078
NASA-TM-X-3155
Accession Number
75N14828
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 506-22
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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