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2. Special features of electric propulsion
2.1 Ergol ionization
In most electric thrusters, the propellant atoms (A) have to be converted into ions in a plasma discharge before being accelerated to high speed and then ejected. Ionization results from collisions between plasma atoms and electrons: A + e → A + + e + e. Nevertheless, only a fraction of the ergol injected into the system is transformed and therefore actually participates in thrust. The ionization efficiencyη i of the ergol is therefore an important term in electric propulsion, as it largely conditions the thrust level. This term is written :
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Special features of electric propulsion
Bibliography
Website
SES, private operator of telecommunication satellites : https://www.ses.com
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