AIS-ePPT1 Micro Pulsed Plasma Thruster Ignition Test 2 - Thruster Startup and Operation

Описание: On September 22nd 2020, the second ignition test of the AIS-ePPT1 micro pulsed plasma thruster for nanosats and picosats was run. This is the first of several videos taken during the thruster testing. Vacuum levels during the test were around 10^-5 Torr.

In the prior test, while ignition was successfully achieved for a short duration, pulse reliability remained a challenge. However, it was found that the trigger electrode would arc to the anode vs. the cathode naturally, despite the significant distance between the trigger electrode and the anode, vs. the sub-mm spacing between the trigger electrode and cathode. In order to attempt to improve reliability, for this test, the thruster was modified to trigger to the +1500V anode rather than the 0V cathode. This unconventional and unusual method of triggering for a PPT was selected based on the fact that the ignition pulse is around -10kV, and with the secondary of the pulse transformer at several hundred ohms, this provides a high resistance path to ground for additional energy from the anode to be utilized to boost the ionization effectiveness of the initial ignition pulse. By allowing the trigger to directly arc to the anode, reliable triggering can be realized at the extremely low power and energy levels this thruster is operated at, and by utilizing some of the energy in the main capacitor bank for additional triggering.

During the test, ignition was significantly more reliable than the prior testing, operated up to 2Hz. The resulting ignition pulse was also significantly more noticeable, and could fire up to 3Hz. In this video, startup of the thruster at less than 1Hz can be seen, and operation is slowly brought up to 1Hz.

The AIS-ePPT1 represents the latest advance in ultra-low cost, simple, open source electric propulsion systems in development at AIS, and is the newest line of AIS micro pulsed plasma thrusters. At only 45x45x25mm for the smaller version "A", or 45x45x38mm for the larger version "B", with a max power draw of only 1.6W, the ePPT1 is a highly compact and ultra-affordable entry level thruster allowing any academic lab, research group, and nanosat groups the ability to access this technology. Details of the thruster can be found on the project page of the AIS-ePPT1 on the AIS website:

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