Publisher:Pasadena, CA : Jet Propulsion Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 2006.
Citation:42nd AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference and Exhibit,Sacramento, California, July 9-12, 2006
Abstract:
Conventional DC ion thruster design considers the maximum closed contour to determine favorable mag field configs. Detailed computational analysis shows that important aspects of DC ion thruster performance are determine the magnetic field line, as well as, field strength contours. Primary electrons are highly magnetized and follow field lines. Lower field strengths allow greater ion density since it delays the onset of discharge instability, which leads to a greater performance range. Submitted Abstract – DC-ION is a detailed computational model for predicting the plasma characteristics of rain-cusp ion thrusters. The advanced magnetic field meshing algorithm used by DC-ION allows precise treatment of the secondary electron flow. This capability allows selfconsistent estimates of plasma potential that improves the overall consistency of the results of the discharge model described in Reference [refJPC05mod1].
