中文摘要：

对水工质微波等离子推力器,用微波击穿气体放电产生等离子体的条件,通过数值计算预估了其点火的可行性;通过等离子体流动方程分析了其从点火到稳定工作的能量吸收形式;从输入和吸收微波功率的角度,分析了提高能量吸收效率可能的途径。结果表明,水工质MPT的点火启动并不特别困难;从点火到稳定工作,能量吸收从场致电离、碰撞电离转变为热电离、碰撞电离和场致电离;扩大等离子体区是提高能量吸收效率的有效途径。

英文摘要：

We analyze the conditions under which a water-fed microwave plasma thruster（MPT） uses its microwave to burst through air and release electricity and then produce plasma. On this basis, we perform the numerical estimation of its ignition feasibility. Through the equation for the flow of the plasm, we analyze its forms of energy absorption from ignition to steady working; from the perspective of inputting and absorbing microwave power, we investigate the possible approaches to enhancing energy absorption efficiency. The analysis results show that it is not so difficult for the water-fed MPT to ignite. From ignition to steady working, energy absorption has a transition from electric field ionization and collision ionization to thermal ionization, collision ionization and electric field ionization. Expanding the region of plasma is an effective approach to enhancing energy absorption efficiency.