Condensation on spacecraft surfaces downstream of a Kaufman thruster

Thruster exhaust products condensation on surfaces downstream of mercury electron bombardment ion thruste

High-Vacuum Condenser Design: Experimental Effects from Cesium and Mercury Ion Beams

Effects of variable-energy electrostatic rocket-engine ion exhaust beams that pertain to the design of high-vacuum condensers are discussed. Three ion-engine beam sources, using cesium and mercury as propellants, were operated at energy levels of 200 to 9000 electron volts and currents of 0.002 to 0.200 ampere. Five condenser geometries, having surface areas from 0.287 to 5.76 square meters, were tested. Values for a function of the accommodation and condensation coefficients, which appears in an existing theoretical analysis, were determined. Although exhibiting rather wide variations in some tests, the values were estimated at approximately 0.15 for cesium and 0.015 for mercury. A method of estimating condenser surface area requirements is given

Numerical solutions of free-molecule flow in converging and diverging tubes and slots

Numerical solutions of free molecular flow in converging and diverging tubes and slot

Rocket engine Patent

Metal ion rocket engine desig

Flux patterns resulting from free-molecule flow through converting and diverging slots

Flux patterns from free molecular gas flow through converging and diverging slot