Hybrid electrothermal/electromagnetic arcjet thruster and

Abstract

A hybrid electrothermal/electromagentic arcjet thruster has a cylindrical body with a longitudinal central axis, a plurality of electro-thermal propulsion mechanisms defined in the body in radially and circumferentially spaced relation about and extending along the central axis, and an electromagnetic propulsion mechanism defined in the body coaxially along the central axis thereof, between the electrothermal propulsion mechanisms and extending downstream thereof. Each electrothermal propulsion mechanism has tandemly-arranged constriction and expansion zones and are operable to concurrently receive a flow of gaseous propellant through the constriction zone and generate an electric arc therethrough to the expansion zone. The arcs interact with the propellant flows such that the latter are partially ionized and electrothermally accelerated through the expansion zones. The electromagnetic propulsion mechanism has an expansion chamber which communicates with, and extends downstream of, the expansion zones. The electromagnetic propulsion mechanism is operable to concurrently receive the flows of electrothermally-accelerated partially-ionized propellant in the expansion chamber and generate a radial current flux and an azimuthal magnetic field which interact with one another and with the flow of propellant such that the latter is electromagnetically accelerated at a higher rate than the electrothermal acceleration thereof.