Macroparticle launch velocity control in rail accelerators

The paper is devoted to the development of the method to increase the stability of the macroparticle launch velocity in the electromagnetic rail accelerators for the simulation of space debris. The method is based on the acceleration process control in the real time. The principle of the accelerator control is in varying the armature current and macroparticle acceleration with a circuit bypassing. The control algorithm with memory has been investigated. The acceleration process control reduces the effect of disturbances in accelerator parameters and initial conditions, as well as the effect of measurement errors upon the spread in launch velocities. The control algorithm efficiency is checked by numerical modeling of operation of the laboratory rail accelerator with plasma armature.