Magnetohydrodynamics and particle-in-cell codes simulation of plasma processes in micro HEMP-Thrusters

Abstract

In this work concepts for numerical simulation with the aim of improved un- derstanding of a miniaturized HEMP (High Eficiency Multistage Plasma) Thruster are pre- sented. A downscaled HEMP-Thruster is developed at Astrium GmbH at Friedrichshafen in cooperation with the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) and the German Aerospace Center (DLR). The aim is to reach the low thrust level and noise of the requirement for LISA (Light Interferometer Space Antenna) and similar for- mation flight space missions. With a complete model of the thruster and its environment, it should be possible to optimize characteristics like thrust beam divergence, thrust weight ratio and power consumption, as well as to determine if and how the LISA requirements can be met. Both an analytical and a particle model for calculating the electron confinement in the complex magnetic field topology are presented. A simplified fluid model gives first estimations of plasma density and electron temperature. Information about plasma potential and ring currents through E B drift is gathered. Comparison of the results of the different models are drawn.