Performance characteristics of the LES-6 pulsed plasma thruster over a range of input conditions were investigated by means of a torsion pendulum system. Parameters of particular interest included the impulse bit and time average thrust {and their repeatability), specific impulse, mass ablated per discharge, specific thrust, energy per unit area, efficiency, and variation of performance with ignition command rate. Intermittency of the thruster as affected by input energy and igniter resistance were also investigated. Com¬parative experimental data from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center have shown good correlation with the data presented.
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