Arcjet rocket

An arcjet rocket or arcjet thruster is a form

of electrically powered spacecraft
propulsion, in which an electrical
discharge (arc) is created in a flow of
propellant[1][2] (typically hydrazine or
ammonia). This imparts additional energy
to the propellant, so that one can extract
more work out of each kilogram of
propellant, at the expense of increased
power consumption and (usually) higher
cost. Also, the thrust levels available from
typically used arcjet engines are very low
compared with chemical engines.

When the energy is available, arcjets are

well suited to keeping stations in orbit and
can replace monopropellant rockets.

Aerojet MR-510 series arcjet engines are

currently used on Lockheed Martin A2100
satellites using hydrazine as a
propellant,[3] providing over 585s average
specific impulse at 2 kW.[4]

In Germany, researchers at the University

of Stuttgart's Institute of Space Aviation
Systems have been looking into these
challenges for years and have developed
various hydrogen-powered arcjet engines
capable of power outputs from 1 to
100 kW. The heated hydrogen reaches exit
speeds of 16 kilometres per second
(9.9 mi/s). An arcjet-propelled test satellite
by the name of Baden-Württemberg 1
(BW1) was scheduled to go to the Moon
by 2010. No such launch has yet occurred.
Baden-Württemberg 1 would have used
polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE propellant.[5]

References
1. John, R. R., Bennett, S., and Connors, J.
P., "Arcjet Engine Performance: Experiment
and Theory," AIAA Journal, Vol. 1, No. 11,
Nov. 1963.
http://arc.aiaa.org/doi/pdf/10.2514/3.210
3
2. Wallner, Lewis E. and Czika, Joseph, Jr,
ARC-Jet Thrustor for Space Propulsion,
NASA Technical note TN D-2868, NASA
Lewis Research Center, June 1965
(accessed September 8 2014)
3. "Lockheed Martin Awards Aerojet
Rocketdyne Contract to Provide Propulsion
Subsystems on A2100 Satellites" .
Nasdaq. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
4. 30 Years of Electric Propulsion Flight
Experience at Aerojet Rocketdyne. 33rd
International Electric Propulsion
Conference. p. 3.
5. Bietigheim-Bissingen, 11/20/2008
Archived March 18, 2014, at the Wayback
Machine

Further reading
Lichtbogenantriebe für
Weltraumaufgaben (Arcjet propulsion
systems for space applications), Prof.
Monika Auweter-Kurtz, B.G. Teubner
Stuttgart 1992 Institute of Space
Systems at the University of Stuttgart
Arcjet (Lichtbogentriebwerk)

External links
 Aerojet Rocketdyne - Arcjet thruster
vendor

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Last edited 8 months ago by an ano…

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