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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

A Low Power Pulsed Arcjet Thruster for Spacecraft Propulsion

Abstract

dc:description

A pulse-forming electrical circuit is developed to reduce energy losses in the storage capacitor, and greater than 85% of the initial stored energy is transferred to the arc in a unipolar pulse. A high current diode installed across the capacitor terminals is used to eliminate voltage reversals in the current. The experimental breakdown voltage of the helium gas between the electrodes is found to follow a Paschen relationship where the minimum electrode separation distance is used in evaluating the data.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph.D.
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Aerospace Engineering
Grantor
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Year dc:date
2015

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Willmes, Gary Francis
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Burton, Rodney L.

Subjects

dc:subject × 1

Rights

Language dc:language
eng

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Identifier
(MiAaPQ)AAI9812808
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/85128

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
Base URL
www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Willmes, Gary Francis. A Low Power Pulsed Arcjet Thruster for Spacecraft Propulsion. Dissertation thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2142/85128