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A Vacuum Arc Ion Thruster for Space Propulsion

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Air Force
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 36647
Amount: $99,250.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1997
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
2235 Polvorosa Ave, Ste 230
San Leandro, CA 94577
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Nianshend Qi
 (510) 483-4156
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) and its co-operative partner, the Plasma Applications Group at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (PAG/LBNL) propose to develop and commercialize a sub-kW vacuum arc ion thruster for electric propulsion and other government and commercial applications. The proposed thruster will use a solid propellant, which offers several advantages over Xenon or other gaseous ion thrusters. Ion beams of any of the solid metals of the periodic table as well as metallic compounds and alloys can be produced at peak ion beam currents of 1-10A, 1+ to 3+ charge states and with <20 mrad beam divergence. This implies that the thrust dynamic range of the vacuum are ion thruster could be as high as 1000:1. The Phase I effort will address the feasibility of such an approach. The Phase II effort will develop a 500W ion source for station keeping electric propulsion applications and validate the device at a facility selected by the Air Force. Following successful development in Phase II. The Phase III effort will commercialize the ion source and supply the sources to the government for electric propulsion applications as well as modify the source for other commercial applications.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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