Question: Problem 2: A gridded ion thruster has a grid separation d = 0.2cm and a voltage drop between the grids VT = 120V. The

Problem 2: A gridded ion thruster has a grid separation d =

Problem 2: A gridded ion thruster has a grid separation d = 0.2cm and a voltage drop between the grids VT = 120V. The propellant is mercury, which has M = 200.6 kg/kmol and hionization = 1.007 x 10 J/kmol. The thruster is running in the space charge limited regime. a) Find the cross-sectional area required to produce 0.02N of thrust b) Find the mass flow rate, m, of the propellant c) Find the electric power required to run this thruster, assuming that all of the electric power is used to ionize and accelerate the mercury molecules.

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