Paolo Gessini

The T6 Hollow Cathode as a Microthruster

*† ‡ A target -based measurement system has been developed and the thrust produced by a T6 ion engine hollow cathode has been evaluated, using argon and krypton as propellants, for discharge current values of 5 -25 A and a wide range of mass flow rates. The calculated values of specific impulse, which are higher for argon , a re generally in excess of those that could be attributed to heating a gas to the rmal equilibrium with the walls. This seem s to suggest , as a first hypothesis, an arcjet -like operation mechanism .

A Study of the Thrust Generated by a T6 Hollow Cathode

The thrust produced by a T6 ion engine hollow cathode has been measured using a target-based system, with argon, krypton and xenon as propellants, for discharge current values of 5-25 A and a wide range of mass flow rates. The calculated values of specific impulse, which are generally higher for lighter gases, are far in excess of those that could be attributed to heating a gas to thermal equilibrium with the walls. This seems to suggest an arcjet-like operation mechanism.