Multichannel hall effect thruster

摘要

A Hall effect thruster (10) for propelling spacecraft and satellites includes at least two acceleration channels (12), each of the channels (12) having a closed end (16) and an open end (14), and a plurality of flux guides (22,24,26) adjacent each of the channels (12). The plurality of flux guides includes an innermost flux guide (22), an outermost flux guide (24), and at least one intermediate flux guide (26). Each intermediate flux guide (26) helps provide a magnetic field to each of two adjacent acceleration channels (12).