Performance of a low power Hall effect thruster with several gaseous propellants

There is a growing need to consider alternative propellants for operation in Hall thrusters, away from the conventional legacy of using xenon. This particularly case small thrusters; which are exponentially their use, whilst needing be operational on inexpensive propellants. Alternative include condensable (i.e., zinc and iodine), or other gaseous (krypton, argon, nitrogen (N2)) - focus here. A low power (nominally 100 W) miniature magnetically shielded thruster has been designed manufactured, based upon standard scaling laws, with specific considerations use The thruster, designated MaSHEKT-100, was operate krypton. Here subsequently operated xenon, krypton, diatomic successfully, an unstable neon. at discharge powers between 30 810 W. Using pendulum thrust balance, performance measured across wide range flow rates, magnetic field strengths, anode voltages. different had peak thrusts 12.6 mN, 6.9 6.6 mN 5.7 efficiencies up 26.3%, 15.2%, 9.6% 5.4%, impulses 2160 s, 1730 1390 1000 respectively. dataset following analysis provides one few times comprehensive selection have tested within same compared directly unchanged geometry set-up.