A vacuum arc thruster (VAT) is a form of
electric spacecraft propulsion. It uses a vacuum arc discharge, across an insulator, between two electrodes to produce thrust.
A metal plasma is produced from micrometer-size cathodic spots. Thus, whereas the insulator is used as propellant in a
pulsed plasma thruster, in a VAT the metallic cathode is consumed as propellant.
See also
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Pulsed plasma thruster
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Vacuum arc A vacuum arc can arise when the surfaces of metal electrodes in contact with a good vacuum begin to emit electrons either through heating ( thermionic emission) or in an electric field that is sufficient to cause field electron emission. Once initi ...
References
External links
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Ion engines
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