A plasma propulsion engine is a type of electric propulsion that generates thrust from a quasi-neutral plasma. This is in contrast with ion thruster engines, which generate thrust through extracting an ion current from the plasma source, which is then accelerated to high velocities using grids/ anodes .

A magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster (MPDT) is a form of electrically powered spacecraft propulsion which uses the Lorentz force (the force on a charged particle by an electromagnetic field) to generate thrust.

– Electromagnetic: Use electromagnetic fields to accelerate plasma propellant (speed of light)

electromagnetic plasma thruster performance at energy levels up to 700 Joules is underway. On-going magnetoplasmadynamic thruster experiments will investigate applied-field performance characteristics of gas-fed MPDs. Plasma characterization of helicon plasma sources will provide additional insights into the operation of this

2003年6月9日 · The NASA Glenn Research Center program in megawatt level electric propulsion is centered on electromagnetic acceleration of quasi-neutral plasmas. Specific concepts currently being examined are the Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster and …

2020年8月17日 · Electrodeless plasma thruster, which has no direct interaction between electrodes and plasma in plasma generation and acceleration phases, is being proposed to solve originally existing issues, including lifetime limitation of …

2017年4月6日 · As one of the electromagnetic plasma acceleration systems, we have proposed a rotating magnetic field (RMF) acceleration scheme to overcome the present problem of direct plasma-electrode interactions, leading to a short lifetime with a …

2021年2月7日 · This chapter is intended to serve as a general overview of the technology of electric propulsion (EP) and its applications. Plasma based electric propulsion technology used for space missions with regard to the spacecraft station …

2024年12月9日 · This study investigates the influence of electromagnetic fields on the propulsion performance of laser plasma propulsion. Based on the principle of pulsed plasma thrusters, an electromagnetic field is utilized to accelerate laser plasma, …

2021年10月26日 · Plasma propulsion utilizes the electric energy to, first, ionize the propellant and, then, deliver energy to the resulting plasma leading to plasma acceleration. Using electrical energy for acceleration of the ionized propellant, electric propulsion systems combine high specific impulse and high efficiency at low thrust.