Development of Low-Power Arc-Jet Thruster for Satellite with Digital Control Power Supply

Recently, miniaturization and light weight conversion of the satellite itself have become necessary. And high improvement of efficiency of the thruster has become necessary with the substantial restriction of the electric energy which it can use. In this study, conversion utilization of general solar light energy to electric power was proposed as the method of obtaining energy at outer space. We observed the arc-jet thruster because the thrust density was high even in the thrusters and the system and structure was relatively simple. Digital control power supply to electric power was developed in order to convert low, and to miniaturize and lighten the arc-jet thruster. As a result, discharge starting reproducibility with single power supply was good and we succeeded in stable arc discharge in the low electric current territory.