Experimental investigation of thrust-vector deviation in a plasma thruster

We have studied deviation of the thrust vector of a plasma thruster with the aid of a magnetic system arranged behind the thruster edge. The magnetic field generated by the system acted upon the directional motion of ions in the jet. The experiments were performed on a laboratory model of the $\alpha$-100 stationary plasma thruster (SPT) with an output channel diameter of 100 mm and overall dimensions $L$ = 70 mm and $D$ = 200 mm. The results of measurements showed that, in the range of parameters studied, the angle of rotation of the output plasma jet exhibited a nearly linear dependence on the current in coils of the deviating magnetic system.