Investigation of the operating characteristics of a high-power hall effect thruster

An investigation aimed at evaluating the performance and operational characteristics of the SPT-200 was carried out by Fakel in collaboration with CENTROSPAZIO. The experimental characterization of the thruster was performed by measuring its electrical, propulsive, and operational parameters during a parametric test. Temperatures of the main thruster components were also measured in order to investigate the thruster thermal behavior. Tests were conducted at Fakel in a vacuum chamber of 17 m(3) volume. The indicated background pressure, measured with ionization gauges calibrated for air, never exceeded 2.8 x 10(-4) torr (uncorrected). The thruster was operated over a wide range of power levels, from 2 up to 12 kW At the nominal operating point of 6 kW, the average specific impulse and efficiency, inclusive of all power losses and the cathode how were 1928 s and 0,59, respectively, The maximum efficiency of 0.63 was obtained at the 11 kW power level and 2950 s specific impulse.