Plume Characterisation Testing of European Thrusters, Executive Summary

Kurzfassung

An extensive study with 6 various subjects (work packages) has been performed to demonstrate the full plume test capacity available at DLR-Göttingen. This meant especially the use of the high vacuum facility STG with its helium-driven cryopump. In addition it could be shown how this facility and the Contamination Chamber CCG, where moderate vacuum can be achieved, complement one another. The study comprised 4 work packages with experimental work including investigations of the backflow and demonstration of the facility’s capacity to maintain space-like vacuum (<10-5 mbar) even when a 10N thruster is fired. The 2 other work packages dealt with possible future applications of STG: investigation of scaled thruster plumes and feasibility of electric thruster plume testing. On the whole 9 reports have been written to document the contract work.