AUGMENTATION OF LOW-POWER HYDRAZINE THRUSTERS

A general analysis of the augmentation processes for low power hydrazine thrusters, is presented in the light of current concepts of electrical power addition. Among the devices surveyed are the resistojets and the arcjets, which transfer electric energy by physical contact with the hydrazine decomposition gases, and the microwave thrusters which apply electromagnetic fields generated by microwaves. A comparison between the various present and future augmented hydrazine thrusters suggests that the arcjet is the most promising means for the energy addition procedure when both reliability and performance are taken into account.