High power plasma propulsion can move large payloads for orbit transfer, lunar missions, and beyond with large savings in fuel consumption owing to the high specific impulse. At high power, lifetime of the thruster becomes an issue. Electrodeless devices with magnetically guided plasma offer the advantage of long life since magnetic fields confine the plasma radially and keep it from impacting the material surfaces. For decades, concerns have been raised about the plasma remaining attached to the magnetic field and returning to the vehicle along the closed magnetic field lines. Recent analysis suggests that this may not be an issue if the magnetic field is properly shaped in the nozzle region and the plasma has sufficient energy density to stretch the magnetic field downstream. An experiment is being performed to test the theory regarding the MHD detachment scenario. The status of that experiment will be discussed in this paper.


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    Title :

    Status of Magnetic Nozzle and Plasma Detachment Experiment


    Contributors:

    Conference:

    SPACE TECH.& APPLIC.INT.FORUM-STAIF 2006: 10th Conf Thermophys Applic Microgravity; 23rd Symp Space Nucl Pwr & Propulsion; 4th Conf Human/Robotic Tech & Nat'l Vision for Space Explor.; 4th Symp Space Coloniz.; 3rd Symp on New Frontiers & Future Concepts ; 2006 ; Albuquerque, New Mexico (USA)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 813 , 1 ; 465-473


    Publication date :

    2006-01-20


    Size :

    9 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    Status of Magnetic Nozzle and Plasma Detachment Experiment

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    Schuettpelz, B. / Li, Z. / Cassibry, J. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    Plume Diagnostics Supporting Magnetic Nozzle Plasma Detachment Demonstration Experiment

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    HOOPER, E. B. | AIAA | 1993


    Plasma Detachment from a Magnetic Nozzle

    Hooper, E.B. | Online Contents | 1993