Vacuum arc thruster

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A vacuum arc thruster (VAT) is a form of electric spacecraft propulsion. It uses a vacuum arc discharge, across an insulator, between two electrodes to produce thrust. A metal plasma is produced from micrometer-size cathodic spots. Thus, whereas the insulator is used as propellant in a pulsed plasma thruster, in a VAT the metallic cathode is consumed as propellant. [1]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Schein, J.; Qi, N.; Binder, R.; Krishnan, M.; Ziemer, J. K.; Polk, J. E.; Anders, A. (1 February 2002). "Inductive energy storage driven vacuum arc thruster". Review of Scientific Instruments. 73 (2): 925–927. Bibcode:2002RScI...73..925S. doi:10.1063/1.1428784.


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