Research Progress on Micro-thrust and Micro-impulse Measurement Technology of PPT

The pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) is a potential electric thruster for microsatellites. One important content of PPT performance research is the measurement of micro-thrust and micro-impulse. This paper summarizes the 4 typical dynamic measuring systems at home and abroad, which include the single pendulum type, the torsion pendulum type, the cantilever type and the balance type. In the paper, the structure principle, measurement performance, advantages and disadvantages of various configurations are compared and analyzed. The development process of each micro-thrust and micro-impulse measurement technology is summarized, and its developing trend is prospected.