ELECTRIC PROPULSION IN RUSSIA AND ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Since the end of the 50's, practically all known EP-thruster types hav e been investigated in the USSR. Since the first flight tests in 1964, more than 50 EP-thrusters were flown for satellite-orbit correction a nd more than 30 EP-engines were used for active ion & plasma experimen ts in space as well as for spacecraft discharging. Presently, the Russ ian EP-program is focussed on the stationary plasma thruster type with closed drill of electrons, suggested by A.I. Morosov and industrializ ed by 'Fakel Enterprise', Kaliningrad. Different-sized engines of this 'SPT'-type have been developed, qualified and flown. Besides this typ e, also pulsed plasma thrusters with ablating solid propellant 'PPT', MPD-engines with applied and self-magnetic field as well as bombardmen t ion engines have been under R, D & Q-work and were flown. The Moscow Aviation Institute gave important contributions for all this work. In Russia, plasma and ion thrusters are also used for non-propulsive, te chnological applications, e.g. for material processing.