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Performance and Facility Background Pressure Characterization Tests of NASAs 12.5-kW Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding ThrusterNASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP/TDM) project is funding the development of a 12.5-kW Hall thruster system to support future NASA missions. The thruster designated Hall Effect Rocket with Magnetic Shielding (HERMeS) is a 12.5-kW Hall thruster with magnetic shielding incorporating a centrally mounted cathode. HERMeS was designed and modeled by a NASA GRC and JPL team and was fabricated and tested in vacuum facility 5 (VF5) at NASA GRC. Tests at NASA GRC were performed with the Technology Development Unit 1 (TDU1) thruster. TDU1's magnetic shielding topology was confirmed by measurement of anode potential and low electron temperature along the discharge chamber walls. Thermal characterization tests indicated that during full power thruster operation at peak magnetic field strength, the various thruster component temperatures were below prescribed maximum allowable limits. Performance characterization tests demonstrated the thruster's wide throttling range and found that the thruster can achieve a peak thruster efficiency of 63% at 12.5 kW 500 V and can attain a specific impulse of 3,000 s at 12.5 kW and a discharge voltage of 800 V. Facility background pressure variation tests revealed that the performance, operational characteristics, and magnetic shielding effectiveness of the TDU1 design were mostly insensitive to increases in background pressure.
Document ID
20160005319
Acquisition Source
Glenn Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Kamhawi, Hani (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Huang, Wensheng (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Haag, Thomas (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Shastry, Rohit (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Thomas, Robert (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Yim, John (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Herman, Daniel (NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH United States)
Williams, George (Ohio Aerospace Inst. Cleveland, OH, United States)
Myers, James (Vantage Partners, LLC Brook Park, OH, United States)
Hofer, Richard (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Mikellides, Ioannis (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Sekerak, Michael (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Polk, James (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
April 26, 2016
Publication Date
July 4, 2015
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Report/Patent Number
GRC-E-DAA-TN24670
ISTS-2015-b-07
IEPC-2015-07
Meeting Information
Meeting: International Electric Propulsion Conference
Location: Kobe-Hyogo
Country: Japan
Start Date: July 4, 2015
End Date: July 10, 2015
Sponsors: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNC12BA01B
WBS: WBS 729200.06.03.05
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.
Keywords
Performance
Hall Thrusters
Solar Electric Propulsion

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