Coaxial plasma accelerator with compressor coil and radial gas injection

The coaxial plasma accelerator with compressor coil of für Raumfahrttechnik (LRT) of the Technische Universität München (TUM) has been changed significantly over the last two years. This plasma-dynamic launcher is capable of accelerating particles in the mass range of 10–10to 10-4g to velocities up to 20 km/s and probably even higher. In the first section the test range with its energy storage system and its operation parameters and the different electric and photographic diagnostic techniques is described. The second section gives a description of the new gas injection system with diagnostics and operational characteristics. This system is used to generate a high density He-plasma. It is the result of a refined theoretical analysis of the accelerator. The plasma velocity in the compressor coil is now around 100 km/s. The third section describes a recently developed dynamic pressure measurement technique which is used to determine the dynamic plasma pressure inside the accelerator. Transient pressures in the order of 10 kbar can be measured in an environment of currents of up to 50 kA and magnetic fields of up to 1 Tesla. the time scale is in the order of 10 µs. Using these techniques the performance of the accelerator could be improved.