磁気セイル探査機地上試験装置の開発

The Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) of Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is studying a new magnetic sail propulsion system, called MagSail since 2002. A MagSail travels interplanetary space by capturing the energy of the solar wind. A MagSail realizes analogous interactions between the solar wind and an artificial magnetic field produced around a spacecraft, to obtain a force in the direction of the solar wind. In order to demonstrate the momentum transfer process of the magnetic sail, we have started a preliminary experiment. In the experimental studies, some strong interactions between the high-density (10(exp 19)/cu m) and high velocity (17 km/s) plasma flow and an artificial magnetic field of about 1 T was observed. Now, we are designing and manufacturing an experimental simulator of the magnetic sail propulsion system. Especially, development of a solar wind simulator will be a key issue for the MagSail experiments. We selected an MPD arcjet device to be the solar wind simulator. And a new twelve L-C ladder Pulse Forming Network (PFN) is also now in manufacturing and testing. In this report, a development status of the MPD solar wind simulator for the MagSail experiment is described and some experimental results are reported.
資料番号: AA0049054024
レポート番号: JAXA-SP-05-008