Triple Langmuir probes and emissive probes are used to measure the electron number density, electron temperature, and plasma potential downstream of a low-power Hall thruster. The results show a high density plasma core with elevated electron temperature and plasma potential along the thruster centerline. These properties are believed to be due to collisionless shocks formed as a result of the ion/ion acoustic instability. A simple model is presented that shows ...
Clustering multiple thrusters has emerged as a favored option for extending Hall effect thruster propulsion to very high powers (100-150 kW) for a variety of Air Force missions. However, there are inherent difficulties in the simultaneous neutralization of several Hall effect thrusters. Chief among these is the issue of unequal current sharing among multiple cathodes. For this reason, it may prove advantageous to use a single, high current neutralizer. Conventional ...
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