Study on Method of Measuring Specific Impulse of the micro-Laser Plasma Thruster

摘要

Specific impulse is one of the most important parameters of the micro-laser plasma thruster. Based on analyzing the method of measuring specific impulse world widely, a kind of method of measuring specific impulse of the micro-laser plasma thruster is established, in which impulse is got by laser interferometry and ablative mass is got by simulating the photograph of ablative target as a truncated cone. The experimental setup of laser interferometry is introduced and the work principle is given in detail. The method of simulating the ablative mass is supplied and the process is illustrated. Typical experiment is carried out. The research efforts play a certain important role in measuring specific impulse of the micro-laser plasma thruster.