A vacuum arc thruster (VAT) is a form of electric spacecraft propulsion. It uses a vacuum arc discharge, across an insulator, between two electrodes to produce thrust.[1] A metal plasma is produced from micrometer-size cathodic spots. Thus, whereas the insulator is used as propellant in a pulsed plasma thruster, in a VAT the metallic cathode is consumed as propellant.

See also

References

  1. Lunn, Jonathan (17 November 2016). "Vacuum Arc Thruster and Method of Operating the Same". WIPO IP Portal. Retrieved 20 October 2020.


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