Shared more. Cited more. Safe forever.
    • advanced search
    • submit works
    • about
    • help
    • contact us
    • login
    View Item 
    •   MOspace Home
    • University of Missouri-Columbia
    • Graduate School - MU Theses and Dissertations (MU)
    • Theses and Dissertations (MU)
    • Dissertations (MU)
    • 2008 Dissertations (MU)
    • 2008 MU dissertations - Freely available online
    • View Item
    •   MOspace Home
    • University of Missouri-Columbia
    • Graduate School - MU Theses and Dissertations (MU)
    • Theses and Dissertations (MU)
    • Dissertations (MU)
    • 2008 Dissertations (MU)
    • 2008 MU dissertations - Freely available online
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    advanced searchsubmit worksabouthelpcontact us

    Browse

    All of MOspaceCommunities & CollectionsDate IssuedAuthor/ContributorTitleSubjectIdentifierThesis DepartmentThesis AdvisorThesis SemesterThis CollectionDate IssuedAuthor/ContributorTitleSubjectIdentifierThesis DepartmentThesis AdvisorThesis Semester

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular AuthorsStatistics by Referrer

    The ferroelectric plasma thruster

    Kemp, Mark A., 1980-
    View/Open
    [PDF] public.pdf (12.22Kb)
    [PDF] short.pdf (37.37Kb)
    [PDF] research.pdf (29.25Mb)
    Date
    2008
    Format
    Thesis
    Metadata
    [+] Show full item record
    Abstract
    Micropropulsion is an enabling technology for microspacecraft. As requirements for microspacecraft missions become more demanding, so do the requirements for micropropulsion. Therefore, existing technologies require improvement, or new technologies need to be developed. The Ferroelectric Plasma Thruster (FEPT) is a new technology for microspacecraft propulsion. This dissertation is a demonstration of this technology and its characteristics. To produce thrust, the FEPT produces a plasma and a beam of ions. The acceleration of these ions away from the thruster is the mass-transfer mechanism of the thruster. Plasma parameters were measured such as average ion current, ion energy, ion species, and average power dissipated. Photography was performed including open-shutter photography and framing photography. These measured parameters were used to make a calculation of the thrust due to ions.For a more direct measurement of thrust, a micro-thrust stand was designed, built, and characterized. In addition, the mass flow rate from the thruster was measured by weighing the FEPT before and after operation. Combining these two measurements leads to a calculation of the specific impulse. Measured parameters include a thrust of [approximately] 70[micro]N, specific impulse of [approximately] 400 s, average power of [approximately] 6 W, and impulse bits of [less than] 1 nN [multiple] s. Advantages of the FEPT include its small mass of less than 6 g and its inherent simplicity. Only a single, low-power rf power supply is needed to form plasma and accelerate particles. Also, electrons are also expelled from the thruster which potentially removes the necessity of a separate neutralizer. Finally, the impulse bits delivered by the FEPT are extremely small which leads to very fine control of microspacecraft attitude.
    URI
    https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/5556
    https://hdl.handle.net/10355/5556
    Degree
    Ph. D.
    Thesis Department
    Electrical and computer engineering (MU)
    Rights
    OpenAccess.
    This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License.
    Collections
    • 2008 MU dissertations - Freely available online
    • Electrical Engineering and Computer Science electronic theses and dissertations (MU)

    Send Feedback
    hosted by University of Missouri Library Systems
     

     


    Send Feedback
    hosted by University of Missouri Library Systems