The H10 high power density hall thruster.

Area of Science:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Plasma Physics
• Electric Propulsion

Background:

• Magnetic shielding has increased Hall thruster lifespan for deep-space missions.
• Current Hall thrusters have specific impulses < 2,000 s, limiting high-velocity change missions.
• Higher specific impulses (> 3,000 s) are needed for broader mission applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• Develop a low-mass, 10-kW class Hall thruster with > 3,000 s specific impulse.
• Achieve wide power throttling ratios for versatile deep-space propulsion.
• Demonstrate high power density operation exceeding the state-of-the-art.

Main Methods:

• Developed the H10 Hall thruster with an integrated, conducting wall, magnetically shielded discharge chamber.
• Implemented a passive, multi-zone heat rejection system for high power density.
• Conducted performance testing at various power levels and voltages.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated 2:1 power throttling at 800 V (~3,000 s specific impulse).
• Achieved efficiencies > 50% over 6:1 power throttling.
• Reached peak performance of 457 mN thrust, 3400 s specific impulse, and 76% efficiency at 800 V, 10 kW.
• Demonstrated 50:1 power throttling over 0.2-10 kW and thermal steady-state at 15 kW.

Conclusions:

• The H10 Hall thruster represents a new class of high-power density electric propulsion.
• This technology enables next-generation robotic science and human exploration missions.
• The thruster's performance characteristics significantly expand mission capabilities for deep-space exploration.