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Compact Efficient 1 kW Electric Thruster

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Missile Defense Agency
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 18074
Amount: $49,738.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1992
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
140 Langmuir Lab., 95 Brown Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Steven Glidden
 (607) 257-1971
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

A proof-of-concept prototype of a new type of pulsed plasma thruster with a specific impulse of 3000s will be built. Based upon a recently developed plasma source, the "X-line thruster" concept operates by inductively driving an electrodeless discharge in a small volume of gas, and then accelerating the resulting plasma with a pulsed magnetic field. A novel continuous flow gas feed and magnetic field configuration makes it possible to build a 1kW class thruster in a volume of about 1 liter. By operating at a 20 kHz repetition rate, only a fraction of a joule is needed per drive pulse, allowing a simple circuit design with small, lightweight, reliable capacitors and solid-state switching to be used. High gas efficiency, electrical efficiency of 30-50% and long component life are projected in steady state operation. The gas feed arrangement permits scaling the X-line thruster to larger area and higher average power without penalty in gas or electrical efficiency, or in repetition rate.

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

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