Long-Duration Test of Coaxial Low-Energy Surface Flashover Ignitor

Abstract

A coaxial low-energy surface flashover (LESF) ignitor for CubeSat electric propulsion systems was developed and tested. The ignitor features a coaxial geometry with copper electrodes directly bonded to the inner and outer surfaces of the alumina ceramic tubular insulator. The ignitor proved to be operational throughout (and after) an extended duration test of 10 million pulses. Characterization of a single LESF event via intensified charge-coupled device fast photography showed that the initial plasma was generated along the insulator surface, while the later plasma production was governed by the column attached to the copper electrodes. The plasma plume propagated primarily perpendicular to the insulator surface at around [Formula: see text]. Further investigation on the erosion of ceramic insulator and copper electrodes via energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis of a witness plate exposed to LESF and scanning electron microscopy observation of the electrodes revealed that the ceramic erosion ([Formula: see text] molecules per pulse) was predominant over electrodes erosion ([Formula: see text] atoms per pulse or [Formula: see text]).