Life test research of a 1.35 kW magnetically shielded Hall thruster

The life of magnetically shielded Hall thrusters has not been fully studied. To investigate the life characteristics of magnetically shielded Hall thrusters, a life test of 8000 h was conducted on a 1.35 kW magnetically shielded Hall thruster for the first time. The thrust, specific impulse, efficiency, and other performance parameters were measured during the thruster’s life test, as well as the changes in the profile of the discharge channel wall. The patterns of changes in these parameters were summarized, and the effectiveness of magnetic shielding technology was verified.