Strain gauge based thrust measurement system for a stationary plasma thruster

A system has been developed for measuring the thrust produced by a stationary plasma thruster, a type of Hall thruster, for station keeping and in-orbit manoeuvring of satellites. The measurement system consists of a thrust balance assembly with strain gauge sensors and associated signal conditioning circuitry. Performance of the system was studied in a vacuum chamber, under space-simulated conditions, by activating the thruster using xenon as the propellant. The thrust output for discharge powers ranging from 170 to 260 watts was measured and found to be in the range of 4-14 millinewtons. The measurement accuracy and resolution were +or-1 mN and 0.3 mN, respectively. Specific impulse and thrust efficiency were also estimated. (Original abstract - amended)