What is a Fiber Fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster?
A Fiber Fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster is the simplest form of electric propulsion that uses the natural properties of plasma to produce thrust and high velocities with low fuel consumption. Compared to other forms of electric propulsion it usually operates by creating a pulsed, high current discharge across the exposed surface of a solid insulator that gradually removes the material from the surface thereby providing a propellant that is ionized, heated, and accelerated to high speed.
This thruster consists of two electrodes that are placed close to the propellant source. The thruster supply is used to charge an energy storage unit or a capacitor to a high voltage which is placed in parallel with the electrodes. The operation of the thruster begins with the thruster’s igniter that is mounted close to the propellant which creates a spark that allows a discharge between the electrodes to create Plasma which is also known as the main discharge. The main discharge gradually removes and ionizes the solid propellant which in turn creates a propellant plasma. This Plasma is then accelerated by a force created by the interaction between the magnetic field and an electric current. As the propellant is consumed a spring forces the propellant forward thereby providing a constant fuel source.
Fiber fed pulsed plasma thruster is robust due to their simple design and benefit from reduced fuel consumption compared to traditional chemical-based propulsion systems. PPTs using solid propellants exploit the natural properties of plasma to produce thrust and high specific impulses. It is ideal for small spacecraft (particularly CubeSats) for attitude control, precision spacecraft control, and low-thrust maneuvers applications.
