High current electron source capable of instant stable operation

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15H05558
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Aerospace engineering
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Yokota Shigeru 筑波大学, システム情報系, 准教授 (30545778)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: 宇宙推進 / 電気推進 / ホローカソード / 電子源

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A criterion to stabilize the operation of a hollow cathode for high power electric propulsion of space crafts is obtained. First, we found that the hollow cathode operation is unstable when the propellant flow rate is low and the electron extract current is high. Second, we observed the plasma in the hollow cathode using probes. As a result, we found that the forcible electron collection causes the unsteady operation. Finally, we developed a new hollow cathode under the stabilization criteria and demonstrated that the hollow cathode operation became stabilized instantly.

Free Research Field

宇宙推進工学