Chinese Space Science and Technology ›› 2022, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (3): 25-38.doi: 10.16708/j.cnki.1000-758X.2022.0033

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Research of thrust measurement for space electric propulsion

ZHANG Lupeng,YANG Xin,CHANG Lei,XU Qian,ZHOU Haishan,LUO Guangnan   

  1. 1Institute of Plasma Physics,HFIPS,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Hefei 230031,China
    2University of Science and Technology of China,Hefei 230026,China
  • Published:2022-06-25 Online:2022-06-21

Abstract:  Accurate measurement of thrust is very important in the development and planning of space electric propulsion.In recent years,with the increasing of complexity and task difficulty for electric propulsion,higher requirements are put forward for the evaluation techniques and methods of thrust performance.In response to this demand,a review of the thrust measurement for space electric propulsion was presented.Measurement methods and the underlying mechanisms,technical features and applications were covered.The methods of thrust measurement can be divided into direct measurement and indirect measurement.The former mainly includes balance structure,torsional pendulum,suspension and inverted pendulum,while the latter mainly includes target and cantilever beam.The advantages and disadvantages of these measurement methods were summarized and compared,which provided a reference for developers to design the thrust measuring system.The key problems in the five segments including system design,system calibration,system response,system response measurement and calculation of thrust during the process of thrust measurement were described in detail,and the corresponding improvement methods were proposed.To serve as a reference for future thrust measurement research,suggestions were also provided by considering the development trend of electric propulsion and its demand of thrust measurement.

Key words: electric propulsion, propulsion thrust measurement, direct measurements, indirect measurement, review