Abstract: Theeffectsofcathodeandanodepropellantmassflowratesonappliedfieldmagnetoplasmadynamicthruster（AFMPDT）performancewerestudied.Theplumeparametersandthrusterworkingparametersincludingdischargevoltage,dischargecurrentandappliedmagneticfieldweremeasured,andperformanceparametersincludingthrust,specificimpulseandefficiencywerecalculated.Bychangingtheproportionofanodeandcathodegassupply,theinfluenceofinitialgasdistributionontheperformanceandphysicalmechanismofthe〖JP2〗thrusterwasanalyzed.Theresultsshowthatboththrustandefficiencyincreasewiththeproportionofcathodegassupply,butwhenitincreasestoacertainpercentagethethrusterperformancedeclinesduetoinstability,whichindicatestheexistenceofthebestproportionofanodeandcathodegassupplyanditssignificantinfluenceonthrusterperformance.

Key words: appliedfieldmagnetoplasmadynamicthruster, electricpropulsion, proportionofanodeandcathodegassupply, thrusterperformance, physicalmechanism