A CLOSED ELECTRON DRIFT PLASMA THRUSTER ADAPTED TO HIGH THERMAL LOADS

摘要

The closed electron drift plasma thruster uses a magnetic circuit to create a magnetic field in a main annular channel (124) for ionization and acceleration, said magnetic circuit comprises: an essentially radial first outer pole piece (134); a conical second outer pole piece (311); an essentially radial first inner pole piece (135); a conical second inner pole piece (351); a plurality of outer magnetic cores (137) surrounded by outer coils (131) to interconnect the first and second outer pole pieces (134, 311); an axial magnetic core (138) surrounded by a first inner coil (133) and connected to the first inner pole piece (135); and a second inner coil (132) placed upstream from the outer coils (131). The thruster also comprises a plurality of radial arms (352, 136) included in the magnetic circuit, and a structural base (175) which is separate from the magnetic circuit and which serves, amongst other things, to cool the coils (131, 132, 133).