Ground-based Experiment for Electric Propulsion Thruster Plume - Magnetic Field Interaction

Abstract

Electric space propulsion systems use charged particles for generating thrust. Several new ideas have been developed that go further and apply the particle flow for transferring impulse to other objects like space debris objects or even asteroids. The thruster beam impacts on distant objects and produces changes in fly path. The charged particles in the beam may interact with surrounding magnetic fields. Magnetic fields are certainly present in space, and a deviation of the particle flow should happen. It is worth to investigate this further and the present report shows results of an experiment with magnetic fields acting on the ion beam of a gridded ion thruster.