Plasma Contacting with a Solid Expellant

OF DISSERTATION PLASMA CONTACTING WITH A SOLID EXPELLANT The break of the tether during the second electrodynamic tether mission (TSS-1R) was followed by efficient plasma contacting between the broken end of the tether and the ambient plasma. Experiments and analysis are described that illustrate the important physical processes required for such plasma contacting to occur. It is shown (1) that a dense plasma discharge can be sustained by ionization of decomposed tether vapors, and (2) that current is transported between the tether and the dense plasma primarily by ions. Operation of a hollow-cathode plasma contactor on a vaporized solid expellant is also demonstrated. David Burtner Mechanical Engineering Department Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO 80523 Spring 1999