What is it about?

A new type of fuel-efficient pulsed plasma thruster is being developed that can be used on small satellites. The fiber-fed thruster operates on Teflon propellant. Its performance is described and analyzed for conditions of high current and high exhaust velocity.

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Why is it important?

For the first time, the evaporating surface area of a pulsed plasma thruster can be controlled.

Perspectives

This type of thruster will drastically lower costs and will allow small spacecraft to go beyond Earth orbit.

Rodney Burton
CU Aerospace

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Analysis of Fiber-Fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster Performance, Journal of Propulsion and Power, October 2020, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/1.b38114.
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