Experimental study on performance of 100-kW low temperature superconducting steady-state magnetoplasmadynamic thruster

Abstract Applied field magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters (AF-MPDTs), with their high specific impulse and considerable thrust, are increasingly favored for large-scale space missions. This paper presents the composition, functionality, and testing methods of a high-power electric propulsion performance testing system, along with the vacuum ignition test results of a 100 kW superconducting MPD thruster. The relationships between thruster efficiency, magnetic field strength, current, and mass flow rate are analyzed. For each combination of current and flow rate in an AF-MPDT, there is an optimal magnetic field strength where the thruster efficiency reaches its peak. Under conditions of 320 A current and 60 mg/s flow rate, the optimal magnetic field strength is 0.5 T, yielding the highest thruster efficiency of 71%.