%0 Journal Article %A Juan Li and Jiawen Qiu and Yuchuan Chu and Tianping Zhang and Wei Meng and Yanhui Jia and Xiaohui Liu %D 2015 %J International Journal of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering %B World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology %I Open Science Index 107, 2015 %T Ion Thruster Grid Lifetime Assessment Based on Its Structural Failure %U https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10003205 %V 107 %X This article developed an ion thruster optic system sputter erosion depth numerical 3D model by IFE-PIC (Immersed Finite Element-Particle-in-Cell) and Mont Carlo method, and calculated the downstream surface sputter erosion rate of accelerator grid; compared with LIPS-200 life test data. The results of the numerical model are in reasonable agreement with the measured data. Finally, we predicted the lifetime of the 20cm diameter ion thruster via the erosion data obtained with the model. The ultimate result demonstrated that under normal operating condition, the erosion rate of the grooves wears on the downstream surface of the accelerator grid is 34.6μm⁄1000h, which means the conservative lifetime until structural failure occurring on the accelerator grid is 11500 hours. %P 1989 - 1992