Plasma Deflection Test Setup for E-Sail Propulsion Concept

ORAL

Abstract

The Electronic Sail or E-Sail is a novel propulsion concept based on momentum exchange between fast solar wind protons and the plasma sheath of long positively charged conductors comprising the E-Sail. The effective sail area increases with decreasing plasma density allowing an E-Sail craft to continue to accelerate at predicted ranges well beyond the capabilities of existing electronic or chemical propulsion spacecraft. While negatively charged conductors in plasmas have been extensively studied and flown, the interaction between plasma and a positively charged conductor is not well studied. We present a plasma deflection test method using a differential ion flux probe (DIFP). The DIFP measures the angle and energy of incident ions. The plasma sheath around a charged body can measured by comparing the angular distribution of ions with and without a positively charged test body. These test results will be used to evaluate numerical calculations of expected thrust per unit length of conductor in the solar wind plasma.

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Authors

  • Allen Andersen

    Physics Department, Utah State University

  • William Stockwell

    Logan High School, University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Utah Valley University, University of New Mexico, Brigham Young University, Moxtek, INC, New Mexico State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37830, USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, Brigham Young University Provo, Rice University, Perimeter Institute and University of Guelph, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Valencia, Spain, None, University of Texas at El Paso, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Brigham Young University - Provo, Morgan High School - Morgan, UT, Utah State University, University of Tsukaba, Chemistry Research Center, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Colorado State University, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University \& New Mexico State University,, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, U of Utah, NMSU, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Chemical Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrucken, Germany, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 7996, UTEP, Arizona State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, none, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, Commerce,TX-75428, USA., INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy, Texas A&M University Commerce, Commerce, Texas-75429, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, USA, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Delaware, IIT INDORE, UT AUSTIN, Idaho Accelerator Center, Brigham Young University, Physics and Astronomy, Univesidad de Guanajuato, Fermilab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RadiaSoft, LLC, Weber State University, University of Texas at Dallas, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Howard University

  • William Stockwell

    Logan High School, University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Utah Valley University, University of New Mexico, Brigham Young University, Moxtek, INC, New Mexico State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37830, USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, Brigham Young University Provo, Rice University, Perimeter Institute and University of Guelph, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Valencia, Spain, None, University of Texas at El Paso, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Brigham Young University - Provo, Morgan High School - Morgan, UT, Utah State University, University of Tsukaba, Chemistry Research Center, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Colorado State University, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University \& New Mexico State University,, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, U of Utah, NMSU, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Chemical Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrucken, Germany, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 7996, UTEP, Arizona State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, none, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, Commerce,TX-75428, USA., INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy, Texas A&M University Commerce, Commerce, Texas-75429, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, USA, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Delaware, IIT INDORE, UT AUSTIN, Idaho Accelerator Center, Brigham Young University, Physics and Astronomy, Univesidad de Guanajuato, Fermilab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RadiaSoft, LLC, Weber State University, University of Texas at Dallas, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Howard University

  • William Stockwell

    Logan High School, University of Tsukuba, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Utah Valley University, University of New Mexico, Brigham Young University, Moxtek, INC, New Mexico State University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge TN 37830, USA, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Newcastle, University of Sydney, Brigham Young University Provo, Rice University, Perimeter Institute and University of Guelph, University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne, France, Texas A&M University, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, University of Valencia, Spain, None, University of Texas at El Paso, Universidad Simon Bolivar, Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Brigham Young University - Provo, Morgan High School - Morgan, UT, Utah State University, University of Tsukaba, Chemistry Research Center, US Air Force Academy, USAFA, JILA, University of Colorado Boulder, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, Department of Orthopedics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Colorado State University, National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University \& New Mexico State University,, National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, U of Utah, NMSU, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, Chemical Science Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA, INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Saarbrucken, Germany, Department of Physics, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, 7996, UTEP, Arizona State University, The University of Texas at El Paso, none, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Division of Engineering, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics, Border Biomedical Research Center, University of Texas at El Paso, Division of Engineering, Mayo Clinic, Department of Neurologic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Texas A&M University, Commerce,TX-75428, USA., INFN, Sezione di Pisa, Largo Pontecorvo 3, 56127 Pisa, Italy, Texas A&M University Commerce, Commerce, Texas-75429, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Commerce, Texas 75429, USA, Cyclotron Institute, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, USA, Department of Physics, University of Texas at El Paso, University of Delaware, IIT INDORE, UT AUSTIN, Idaho Accelerator Center, Brigham Young University, Physics and Astronomy, Univesidad de Guanajuato, Fermilab, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, RadiaSoft, LLC, Weber State University, University of Texas at Dallas, National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Howard University