AN INTENSE HALL-TYPE ION-SOURCE FOR SATELLITE PROPULSION

The design improvements of future plasma thrusters require the investi gation of the physical phenomena occurring during the thruster operati on. We have investigated a small, Hall-type thruster (or stationary pl asma thruster). The different currents and the thrust of the thruster will be reported. Plasma parameters have been measured with Langmuir p robes located outside the thruster. Finally, an electrostatic ion ener gy analyzer located in the plume has permitted the determination of th e ion energy distribution function. (C) 1998 American Institute of Phy sics.