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To meet the application requirements for continuous variable thrust capability and high-resolution characteristics for ion thrusters in drag-free flight missions of gravity gradient measurement satellites and precise orbit maintenance missions of near-Earth high-resolution observation satellites, the technical research on a high-resolution wide-range variable thrust ion thruster and its application verification are conducted. Leveraging the weak coupling and relative independence between the two critical physical processes of plasma discharge and ion beam extraction in Kaufman-type ion thrusters, a wide-range variable thrust ion thruster technical scheme with a divergent magnetic field configuration is proposed. The key technical investigations include wide-range discharge stability in the discharge chamber, a concave spherical ion optical system configuration design balancing wide-temperature-range ignition and high-density extraction requirements, and hollow cathode current emission continuity design. The discharge chamber structure based on a divergent magnetic field configuration can rapidly adjust plasma density under varying discharge intensities through optimal coordination of anode gas supply, magnetic induction intensity, and anode current, while resolving critical technical challenges in low-power discharge stability and high-power operational reliability. Adopting a concave spherical ion optical system, the technical challenge in matching grid thermal deformation spacing with the reliable extraction of high-density ion beams is addressed. The concave spherical configuration can realize full-power ion beam extraction within approximately 10 s in low-temperature environments. Meanwhile, the hollow cathode based on a lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) emitter, through redundant design of emitter thickness and adaptive design of the cathode orifice aspect ratio, not only extends the emitter evaporation loss lifespan but also achieves stable operation within an emission current range of 0.5–3.4 A. Based on this, the design optimization and ground-based performance evaluation of a 10-cm-aperture high-resolution wide-range continuously variable thrust ion thruster are completed (In fact, such an ion thruster already achieved on-orbit flight in 2023.). Satellite on-orbit test results indicate that the 10-cm-aperture thruster achieves thrust regulation of 1.39–20.05 mN within a power range of 98.3–585.3 W, with specific impulse maintained at 547–3056 s, consistent with ground test results. The thrust response rate reaches approximately 3 mN/s, and thrust resolution exceeds 15 μN, outperforming ground test metrics. Compared with traditional chemical propulsion systems used for satellite orbit control, this thruster improves orbit maintenance accuracy by two orders of magnitude, effectively ensuring the implementation of satellite’s on-orbit engineering missions.
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Keywords:
- high-resolution /
- continuously variable thrust /
- ion thruster /
- on-orbit verification
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图 1 发散场放电室示意图
Figure 1. Schematic diagram of a divergent-field discharge chamber.
图 2 工质分配器供气结构示意图
Figure 2. Schematic diagram of the propellant distributor gas supply structure.
图 3 大推力高功率工作点下放电室电磁场及等离子体特征参数分布 (a) 电势等势线与磁力线; (b) 电场线与磁场等势线; (c) 稳态时放电室内电子分布; (d) 稳态时放电室内离子密度分布
Figure 3. Distribution of electromagnetic field and plasma characteristic parameters in the discharge chamber at a high-power, high-thrust operating point: (a) Equipotential lines and magnetic field lines; (b)electric field lines and magnetic equipotential lines; (c) electron distribution in the discharge chamber at steady state; (d) ion density distribution in the discharge chamber at steady state
图 4 基于凸球面离子光学系统的离子推力器放电室结构示意图
Figure 4. Schematic diagram of an ion thruster discharge chamber structure based on a convex spherical surface ion optics system.
图 5 两种曲面形式下离子光学系统引出束流密度分布及低温启动特性曲线对比 (a) 引出束流密度分布对比; (b) –90 ℃低温环境下引束流特性曲线对比
Figure 5. Comparison of extracted beam current density distribution and cold-start characteristics for two different surface forms of the ion optics system: (a) Comparison of extracted beam current density distribution; (b) comparison of extracted beam current characteristic curves at –90 ℃ low-temperature environment.
图 6 宽范围变推力离子推力器实物照片
Figure 6. Photograph of a wide-range variable thrust ion thruster.
图 7 试验系统组成
Figure 7. Composition of the test system.
图 8 推力器在不同推力工作点的引束流照片 (a) 1 mN; (b) 5 mN; (c) 15 mN; (d) 20 mN
Figure 8. Photographs of the thruster’s extracted beam at different thrust operating points: (a) 1 mN; (b) 5 mN; (c) 15 mN; (d) 20 mN.
图 9 宽范围变推力离子推力器主要性能参数变化规律 (a) 推力、比冲随功耗的变化曲线; (b) 励磁电流对推力影响规律
Figure 9. Variation patterns of the main performance parameters for the wide-range variable thrust ion thruster: (a) Thrust and specific impulse versus power consumption; (b) influence law of magnet current on thrust.
图 10 宽范围推力点下推力分辨率测试结果 (a) 1 mN; (b) 5 mN; (c) 15 mN; (d) 20 mN
Figure 10. Thrust resolution test results at wide-range thrust points: (a) 1 mN; (b) 5 mN; (c) 15 mN; (d) 20 mN.
图 11 基于地面测试设备的推力器主要性能参数变化情况 (a) 主阴极触持极电流、中和器触持极电流、励磁电流及加速栅电流; (b) 推力、比冲及功率
Figure 11. Variation of main performance parameters of the thruster based on ground test equipment: (a) Keeper current, neutralizer keeper current, magnet current and acceleration grid current; (b) thrust, specific impulse and power.
图 12 离子推力器在轨供电供气控制系统简图
Figure 12. Simplified diagram of the on-orbit power and gas supply.
图 13 离子推力器快速变推力能力与高分辨率推力调节能力在轨验证测试结果 (a) 主份推力器快速变推力; (b) 备份推力器快速变推力; (c) 主份推力器15 mN高分辨率推力调节; (d) 备份推力器20 mN高分辨率推力调节
Figure 13. On-orbit verification test results of the ion thruster’s rapid thrust variation capability and high-resolution thrust adjustment capability: (a) Main thruster rapid thrust variation; (b) backup thruster rapid thrust variation; (c) main thruster 15 mN high-resolution thrust adjustment; (d) backup thruster 20 mN high-resolution thrust adjustment.
图 14 离子推力器单推力点高精密维轨期间主要工作参数变化情况 (a) 推力与比冲; (b) 功率; (c) 阴极触持电流和中和器触持电流; (d) 加速栅电流
Figure 14. Variation of main operating parameters during high-precision orbital maintenance at a single thrust point for the ion thruster: (a) Thrust and specific impulse; (b) power; (c) cathode keeper current and neutralizer keeper current; (d) acceleration grid current.
表 1 放电室设计参数 (1 Gs = 10–4 T)
Table 1. Discharge chamber design parameters (1 Gs = 10–4 T).
参数名称 设计结果 几何构型 柱形阳极筒+屏栅筒 长径比 1∶0.78 磁场发散度/% 73 挡板直径/mm 26 磁感应强度调节范围/Gs 3—35 阳极电流调节范围/A 0.7—2.9 阳极供气调节范围/(mg·s–1) 0.01—0.50 
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表 2 两种球面形式下的推力器工作参数对比
Table 2. Comparison of thruster operating parameters for the two surface forms.
参数名称 球面形式 凸面 凹面 屏栅电流/ mA 354 352 加速电流/mA 1.2 1.8 阳极电压/V 40.3 40.6 阳极电流/A 2.53 2.67 主阴极触持电流/A 0.81 0.81 90%束流发散角/(°) 22.1 18.1 95%束流发散角/(°) 25.7 19.3
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表 3 离子光学系统设计参数
Table 3. Ion optics system design parameters.
参数名称 设计结果 栅片材料 Mo 束流直径/cm 10 球面拱高/cm 5 屏栅加速栅厚度比 1:0.8 屏栅加速栅孔径比 1:1.51 间距 0.55
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表 4 空心阴极设计参数
Table 4. Hollow cathode design parameters.
参数名称 设计结果 发射体材料 六硼化镧 阴极顶小孔长径比 1∶12 发射体内径与长度比 1∶2.05 发射电流/A 0.5—3.4 发射体厚度与内直径比 1∶0.78 发射体设计蒸发损耗寿命/h 40000
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表 5 离子推力器变推力调节的阳极供气及阳极电流参数
Table 5. Anode gas supply and anode current parameters for ion thruster variable thrust adjustment.
推力覆盖范围/mN 阳极电流/A 阳极供气/(mg·s–1) 1—3 0.55 0.100 4—5 0.80 0.150 6—8 1.45 0.185 9—11 2.00 0.250 12—14 2.20 0.335 15—16 2.35 0.390 17—18 2.50 0.450 19—20 2.70 0.500
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