• cube sat
• Electric propulsion miniature
• Hollow cathode
• Langmuir probe
• Low thrust
• Magnetic Nozzle
• micro thrusters
• Micropropulsion technology
• plasma plume
• small satellites
• solenoid
• space exploration
• Time of flight technique

Small satellites and CubeSats have lowered the initial capital cost to One Million Dollar for
deploying on-orbit capability by miniaturization of electronics and related systems. This has
created an opportunity for small companies to acquire custom on-orbit assets, thereby enabling
a whole new dimension for space exploration, low attitude earth observation, and so on.
Hollow cathodes can be used as electrothermal thrusters and can produce high specific impulse
depending on the operating conditions and propellant. This thesis work will emphasize the
improvement in the thrust production from hollow cathodes with a magnetic nozzle creating a
new path in the field of Micro electric propulsion
The thesis deals with an experimental activity carried out on a hollow cathode with a magnetic
nozzle. In particular, the exhaust velocity at various operation conditions has been calculated
by using a Time of Flight technique applied on Langmuir probe measurements. The results
have been used to evaluate thrust and specific impulse. The thrust and specific impulse
produced varies in the range of 5-16mN and 200-650 s respectively. Some new insight has
been gained into the physics of hollow cathode operation and thrust production with magnetic
nozzle (MN). The obtained specific impulse is similar to that of Resistojets and Arcjets but the thrust is much lesser on the comparison.