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Understand the fundamental basis of spaceflight with this cutting-edge guide. As spacecraft engineering continues to advance, so too do the propulsion methods by which human beings can seek out the stars. Ion thrusters and Hall thrusters have been the subject of considerable innovation in recent years, and spacecraft propulsion has never been more efficient. Preface Introduction Thruster Principles Basic Plasma Physics Hollow Cathodes Ion Thruster Plasma Generators Ion Thruster Accelerators Conventional Hall Thrusters Magnetically Shielded Hall Thrusters Electromagnetic Thrusters Future Directions in Electric Propulsion Electric Thruster Plumes and Spacecraft Interactions Flight Electric Thrusters Appendix A Nomenclature Appendix B Gas Flow Units Conversions and Cathode Pressure Estimates Appendix C Energy Loss by Electrons Appendix D Ionization and Excitation Cross Sections for Xenon and Krypton Appendix E Ionization and Excitation Reaction Rates in Maxwellian plasmas Appendix F Electron Relaxation and Thermalization Times Appendix G Clausing Factor Monte Carlo Calculation