The laser electromagnetic hybrid propulsion is a propulsion method that generates thrust through the synergistic action of laser ablation propulsion and electromagnetic propulsion. Laser ablation propulsion and electromagnetic propulsion complement each other to produce better thrust performance. In this paper, the emission spectra of pulsed electromagnetic propulsion (PEP) and laser assisted pulsed electromagnetic propulsion (LAPEP) are studied, and the composition, temperature and density of plasma plume are calculated. The evolution of plasma plumes of laser electromagnetic combined propulsion (LEHP) in the initial stage of formation and in the discharge chamber are studied by using a high speed camera. The results show that charged particles in PEP and LAPEP plumes are mainly C+, F+, C++ and F, among which C+ has the highest luminescence intensity of plasma. Calculated with the C+ spectral line intensity of plasma and the multi-spectral method, the electron temperature of PEP and LAPEP is about 12300K, and the electron density is about 1.2×1026m-3, which the electron temperature and density of LAPEP are slightly higher than those of PEP. In addition, the plasma evolution law and the discharge characteristics of LEHP are different from that of PEP. The plasma evolution process of PEP is continuous and regular, and the evolution process of LEHP is irregular.
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