Development of Micro-Particles Accelerator with Pulse Formation

Abstract Space debris is one of major problems for recent space developments. When micro-debris of several hundred in diameter impacts spacecrafts, it may cause mission interruption. To design a safe and reliable space craft, we have to evaluate the risk of micro-debris impact by conducting ground-based hypervelocity impact experiments. To achieve these objectives, this study deals with the development of a plasma gun in which a plasma is created by applying high current and then accelerated by its own diffusion and Lorentz force. We think that it is important for accelerating projectiles to a higher velocity to shorten the current rise time and with a high plasma density. Therefore, to increase the velocity of the projectile, we examined the influence of the rise time and the plasma density. We conducted the experiments by a plasma gun and a WCR (Weak Current Removal) circuit to shorten the rise time and a short plasma gun to obtain a high-density plasma. These experimental results showed that it is necessary for accelerating to increase the maximum electric current, to adjust shooting the plasma to the peak time of the current and to increase the density of plasma.