Pioneering research is being conducted at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to determine whether vacuum arc technology can be used as a viable ion source and acceleration mechanism for electric propulsion applications. This report outlines our effort in Vacuum Arc Ion Thruster (VAIT) research through the design, fabrication and validation of a Faraday probe that will be used to characterize the thruster's plasma plume. The probe was tested experimentally by comparing its ion current density measurements to those taken simultaneously with a previously designed probe.

• This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

Creator

• Winquist, Gloria Anne
• Partridge, James Michael

Publisher

• Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Identifier

• 01E010M

Advisor

• Gatsonis, Nikolaos A.

Year

• 2001

Sponsor

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Date created

• 2001-01-01

Resource type

• Major Qualifying Project

Major

• Mechanical Engineering

Rights statement

• In Copyright