Abstract
Studies with a Pulsed Plasma Thruster have shown that the ratio between the electromagnetic contribution of the impulse bit between a PPT with Teflon™ to when Teflon™ is not present is around 0.6~0.75 over the range of experiments that were conducted. The trade-off in the mass and volume savings compared to a reduced performance meant that a PPT without Teflon™ was developed. A simplified hydrodynamic model using boundary conditions taken from experimental literature from the cathodic arc plasma field[1] was applied to a plasma flow model that took account of pinching effects from the high current plasma[2]. The model was then compared to experimental results to show its validity.