NASA NTRS · 19860018651
Rail accelerators for space transportation: An experimental investigation
Abstract
An experimental program was conducted at the Lewis Research Center with the objective of investigating the technical feasibility of rail accelerators for propulsion applications. Single-stage, plasma driven rail accelerators of small (4 by 6 mm) and medium (12.5 by 12.5 mm) bores were tested at peak accelerating currents of 50 to 450 kA. Streak-camera photography was used to provide a qualitative description of plasma armature acceleration. The effects of plasma blowby and varying bore pressure on the behavior of plasma armatures were studied.
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Zana, L. M., Kerslake, W. R., Sturman, J. L.. 1986-05-01. Rail accelerators for space transportation: An experimental investigation. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19860018651
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