As　the　＇heart＇　of　the　arcjet,　cathode　is　responsible　for　heating　the　gaseous　propellant　to　produce　propulsion.　Due　to　the　long　service　cycle　and　frequent　ignition　times　of　satellite,　high　requirements　are　put　forward　for　the　service　life　and　erosion　resistance　of　cathode　materials.　In　order　to　seek　cathode　materials　with　excellent　erosion　resistance,　based　on　W-La-Ce-Y　and　W-La-Y-Zr　electrodes,　W-La-Ce-Y-Re　and　W-La-Y-Zr-Re　electrode　materials　were　prepared　by　hydrogen　reduction-median　frequency　sintering.　By　simulating　the　actual　working　condition　of　the　arcjet,　the　arcing　test　was　carried　out　at　250　A　current,　the　erosion　resistance　of　each　electrode　material　was　studied,　and　the　morphology　of　the　electrode　tip　after　arcing　was　observed.　The　results　show　that　the　rhenium　electrode　has　less　burning　loss　quality,　better　tip　morphology　stability,　and　better　burning　loss　resistance　after　2　h　of　arc　burning.　Under　SEM,　it　is　observed　that　the　rhenium　inhibits　the　growth　of　dendrites　and　weakens　the　recrystallization　degree　of　tungsten　matrix　grains.　And　the　migration　pathway　of　rare　earth　oxides　was　also　discussed.　Under　the　metallographic　microscope,　it　is　observed　that　the　recrystallized　grains　at　the　tip　of　the　rhenium　electrode　are　finer,　and　rhenium　plays　a　role　in　refining　the　recrystallized　grains.　The　cathode　voltage　drop　of　rhenium　electrode　is　lower　at　different　currents.　The　addition　of　rhenium　improves　the　electron　emission　performance　of　electrode　materials.　©　2022　Rare　Metals　Materials　and　Engineering　Press.　All　rights　reserved.