Vacuum Arc Propulsion Systems for In Space Refuelling and Small Satellite Applications

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dc.contributor.authorStansell, Paul Robert
dc.contributor.co-supervisorLafleur, Trevor
dc.contributor.supervisorFerrer, Phil
dc.date.accessioned2024-10-25T22:15:40Z
dc.date.available2024-10-25T22:15:40Z
dc.date.issued2023-09
dc.descriptionA dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, to the Faculty of Science, School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2023.
dc.description.abstractIn this work a compact and low power vacuum arc ion thruster and related circuitry were built utilising a vacuum arc thruster (VAT) as the plasma source. A number of VAT designs were tested before the final ion thruster design comprising of a modified coaxial VAT with a copper cathode and an extended anode grid to reduce peak ion currents was chosen. This design was chosen as it produced the best performance and prevented excessive grid arcing which was a problem encountered throughout this work. The final ion thruster required only one liter of volume, excluding electronics, and could be operated at an average power of less than one watt. Pulsed ion beams of up to 20 ± 1.4mA of copper ions with beam energy 3.23 ± 0.22keV lasting on average 320µs were produced by the system and detected by a plate downstream of the thruster. The grid system was unable to extract the large ion currents produced by the VAT which meant the overall electrical efficiency, thrust to power ratio and specific impulse were low compared to existing gas-fueled gridded ion thrusters; 2.28%, 0.474mN/kW and 33s respectively. Finally, a metallic meteorite sample was used as the cathode in a planar VAT and the ion current was measured. It was concluded that the vacuum arc ion thruster is a promising propulsion system for small satellites and has potential for refuelling from metals present in the space environment. This study adds a novel, miniature, low power and low beam voltage design to the limited literature on vacuum arc ion thrusters.
dc.description.sponsorshipSouth African National Space Agency (SANSA).
dc.description.submitterMM2024
dc.facultyFaculty of Science
dc.identifier0000-0003-2755-9165
dc.identifier.citationStansell, Paul Robert. (2023). Vacuum Arc Propulsion Systems for In Space Refuelling and Small Satellite Applications. [Master's dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg]. https://hdl.handle.net/10539/41970
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10539/41970
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.rights©2023 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.
dc.rights.holderUniversity of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
dc.schoolSchool of Physics
dc.subjectVacuum
dc.subjectARC
dc.subjectPlasma
dc.subjectPropulsion
dc.subjectElectric propulsion
dc.subjectSatelites
dc.subjectMetorites
dc.subjectAsteroids
dc.subjectIn-space-refuelling
dc.subjectThrust
dc.subjectSpecific-impulse
dc.subjectION
dc.subjectBeam-current
dc.subjectUCTD
dc.subject.otherSDG-9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure
dc.titleVacuum Arc Propulsion Systems for In Space Refuelling and Small Satellite Applications
dc.typeDissertation
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