Design of a vacuum chamber for cathode test and low power Hall Effect Thrusters

The area of space propulsion involves testing using a thermal vacuum chamber. To that end, the objective of the thesis is to propose an upgraded design for the current vacuum chamber at OHB for hollow cathode test and low power Hall Effect Thrusters.

The thesis aims firstly to show the process of adapting the vacuum chamber at OHB to test a heaterless hollow cathode. The requirements of the test included a maximum temperature of a 100 C and a pressure inside the chamber around 10^-6 mbar during the test. To accomplish the first, the test bench was subjected to a thermal simulation using CREO. Once, the requirement was fulfilled the test bench was manufactured and mounted. For the second requirement, a vacuum chamber characterization was done to see the pressure evolution inside the facility. Lastly, the fluid line was designed and mounted in the facility.

Additionally, the present project aims to provide a new design concept for a vacuum facility able to test low power Hall Effect Thrusters. A comparison with the facility at OHB and others employed for this purpose was done. With this an analysis, a new facility is presented on the report with special focus on the pumping system, sputtering protection and thermal protection.