315:
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and fed into an acceleration chamber, where the magnetic and electric fields are created using a power source. The particles are then propelled by the
Lorentz force resulting from the interaction between the current flowing through the plasma and the magnetic field (which is either externally applied
66:
There are two main types of MPD thrusters, applied-field and self-field. Applied-field thrusters have magnetic rings surrounding the exhaust chamber to produce the magnetic field, while self-field thrusters have a cathode extending through the middle of the chamber. Applied fields are necessary at
202:
MPD thruster technology has been explored academically, but commercial interest has been low due to several remaining problems. One small problem is that power requirements on the order of hundreds of kilowatts are required for optimum performance. Current interplanetary spacecraft power systems
20:
218:. It was to power a communication satellite which was in the end not approved. Nuclear reactors supplying kilowatts of electrical power (of the order of ten times more than current RTG power supplies) have been orbited by the USSR:
351:
182:), by far the highest for any form of electric propulsion, and nearly as high as many interplanetary chemical rockets. This would allow use of electric propulsion on missions which require quick
369:
An MPD thruster was tested on board the
Japanese Space Flyer Unit as part of EPEX (Electric Propulsion Experiment) that was launched March 18, 1995 and retrieved by space shuttle mission
172:, triple the value of current xenon-based ion thrusters, and about 25 times better than liquid rockets. MPD technology also has the potential for thrust levels of up to 200 newtons (N) (
635:"Developments in the nuclear field will be actively applied ... also for creating propellant devices capable of ensuring space flights even to other planets", from the November 2009
290:). The use of lithium and barium propellant mixtures and multi-channel hollow cathodes has been shown in the laboratory to be a promising solution for the cathode erosion problem.
373:
January 20, 1996. To date, it is the only operational MPD thruster to have flown in space as a propulsion system. Experimental prototypes were first flown on Soviet spacecraft.
55:
or induced by the current) out through the exhaust chamber. Unlike chemical propulsion, there is no combustion of fuel. As with other electric propulsion variations, both
43:(the force on a charged particle by an electromagnetic field) to generate thrust. It is sometimes referred to as Lorentz Force Accelerator (LFA) or (mostly in Japan) MPD
146:
214:
A project to produce a space-going nuclear reactor designed to generate 600 kilowatts of electrical power began in 1963 and ran for most of the 1960s in the
121:
One potential application of magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters is the main propulsion engine for heavy cargo and piloted space vehicles (example engine
780:
753:
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331:
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Kurchatov
Institute with Roskosmos renewed the work over developing nuclear energy sources for interplanetary flights, June 2009, (in Russian
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327:
286:
Another problem with MPD technology has been the degradation of cathodes due to evaporation driven by high current densities (in excess of
739:
478:
915:
662:
Sankaran, K.; Cassady, L.; Kodys, A.D.; Choueiri, E.Y. (2015). "A Survey of
Propulsion Options for Cargo and Piloted Missions to Mars".
302:, Japan, Germany, and Italy. Experimental prototypes were first flown on Soviet spacecraft and, most recently, in 1996, on the Japanese
36:
1192:
229:
Plans to develop a megawatt-scale nuclear reactor for the use aboard a crewed spaceship were announced in 2009 by
Russian nuclear
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Kurchatov
Institute with Roskosmos renewed the work over developing nuclear energy sources for interplanetary flights
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40–60 percent. However, additional research has shown that exhaust velocities can exceed 100 kilometers per second.
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CGI rendering of
Princeton University's lithium-fed self-field MPD thruster (from Popular Mechanics magazine)
186:
maneuvers (such as capturing into orbit around another planet), but with many times greater fuel efficiency.
306:, which demonstrated the successful operation of a quasi-steady pulsed MPD thruster in space. Research at
279:
to each other produces an estimated conversion efficiency of 59% and a predicted power density of up to
211:
reactor was expected to generate power in the hundreds of kilowatts range but was discontinued in 2005.
422:
1256:
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707:"Current Advances in Optimization of Operative Regimes of Steady State Applied Field MPD Thrusters"
366:), has resolved many problems related to the performance, stability and lifetime of MPD thrusters.
283:. This would be sufficient to power a MPD upper stage, perhaps to lift satellites from LEO to GEO.
260:
on the ground to beam power to the MPD-powered spacecraft, where it is converted to electricity by
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lower power levels, where self-field configurations are too weak. Various propellants such as
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8:
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384:
reached a thruster efficiency of 61.99% in 2019, corresponding to a specific impulse of I
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253:
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249:
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354:(EPPDyL) (where MPD thruster research has continued uninterrupted since 1967), and
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691:
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339:
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479:"Choueiri, Edgar Y. (2009). New dawn of electric rocket. Next-Generation Thruster"
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813:
743:
546:
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257:
238:
99:
737:
Choueiri, Edgar Y. (2009). New dawn of electric rocket. Next-Generation
Thruster
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377:
319:
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95:
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Search engine for a large archive of technical papers on MPD thruster research
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In theory, MPD thrusters could produce extremely high specific impulses (I
1406:
1401:
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650:
The Space
Elevator: A revolutionary Earth-to-space transportation system.
758:
620:
Roskosmos prepared a project of a crewed spaceship with a nuclear engine
607:
1426:
883:
115:
298:
Research on MPD thrusters has been carried out in the US, the former
252:, is to beam power from the ground. This plan utilizes 5 200 kW
234:
207:
and solar arrays) are incapable of producing that much power. NASA's
84:
80:
1202:
835:
272:
183:
91:
have been used, with lithium generally being the best performer.
88:
51:
825:
803:
432:
370:
219:
107:
60:
44:
76:
68:
705:
Boxberger, Adam; Behnke, Alexander; Herdrich, Georg (2019).
661:
19:
623:
355:
267:. The tuning of the laser wavelength of 0.840 micrometres (
261:
215:
72:
316:
National
Aerospace University, Kharkiv Aviation Institute
63:
increase with power input, while thrust per watt drops.
704:
473:
471:
376:
The applied-field MPD thruster in development at the
127:
714:
International Electric Propulsion Conference (IEPC)
540:
Global Communications Satellite Using Nuclear Power
468:
140:
16:Form of electrically powered spacecraft propulsion
1462:
164:) with an exhaust velocity of up to and beyond
774:
352:Electric Propulsion and Plasma Dynamics Lab
781:
767:
664:Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
559:"The USSR/Russia – RORSAT, Topaz, And RTG"
501:
499:
98:magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters have input
37:electrically powered spacecraft propulsion
788:
1193:Atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion
193:
18:
496:
271:per photon) and the photovoltaic panel
1463:
648:Edwards, Bradley C. Westling, Eric A.
205:radioisotope thermoelectric generators
762:
754:MPD - MagnetoPlasmaDynamic Propulsion
237:, and confirmed by Russian President
241:in his November 2009 address to the
652:2002, 2003 BC Edwards, Houston, TX.
175:
29:magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster
13:
1098:Field-emission electric propulsion
23:An MPD thruster during test firing
14:
1487:
1172:Microwave electrothermal thruster
730:
520:10.1038/scientificamerican0209-58
344:University of Southern California
50:Generally, a gaseous material is
1444:
723:from the original on 2022-10-09.
698:
655:
642:
637:Address to the Federal Assembly
629:
388:= 4665 s and 2.75 N of thrust.
1302:Pulsed nuclear thermal rocket
1198:High Power Electric Propulsion
613:
601:
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551:
533:
524:
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189:
1:
1157:Helicon double-layer thruster
1126:Electrodeless plasma thruster
1121:Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster
438:
155:
106:15–60 kilometers per second,
626:, October 2009, (in Russian)
7:
1476:Magnetic propulsion devices
507:New dawn of electric rocket
391:
293:
10:
1492:
505:Choueiri, Edgar Y. (2009)
423:Solar panels on spacecraft
378:Institute of Space Systems
320:Institute of Space Systems
248:Another plan, proposed by
1442:
1359:
1338:
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1116:Pulsed inductive thruster
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610:, June 2009, (in Russian)
360:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
308:Moscow Aviation Institute
256:at 0.84 micrometres with
1290:Nuclear pulse propulsion
1049:Electric-pump-fed engine
949:Hybrid-propellant rocket
939:Liquid-propellant rocket
233:, national space agency
1346:Beam-powered propulsion
1319:Fission-fragment rocket
1274:Nuclear photonic rocket
1242:Nuclear electric rocket
1008:Staged combustion cycle
944:Solid-propellant rocket
676:10.1196/annals.1311.027
382:University of Stuttgart
324:University of Stuttgart
1397:Non-rocket spacelaunch
1247:Nuclear thermal rocket
1147:Pulsed plasma thruster
418:Pulsed plasma thruster
199:
142:
24:
1471:Spacecraft propulsion
1063:Electrical propulsion
790:Spacecraft propulsion
428:Spacecraft propulsion
364:Glenn Research Center
197:
150:human mission to Mars
143:
141:{\displaystyle a^{2}}
22:
1295:Antimatter-catalyzed
1093:Hall-effect thruster
906:Solar thermal rocket
408:Magnetohydrodynamics
398:Hall effect thruster
348:Princeton University
254:free electron lasers
125:
1237:Direct Fusion Drive
1152:Vacuum arc thruster
1039:Pressure-fed engine
1018:Gas-generator cycle
925:Chemical propulsion
862:Physical propulsion
511:Scientific American
265:photovoltaic panels
231:Kurchatov Institute
102:100–500 kilowatts,
1451:Spaceflight portal
1417:Reactionless drive
1382:Aerogravity assist
1222:Nuclear propulsion
742:2016-10-18 at the
545:2008-07-09 at the
250:Bradley C. Edwards
209:Project Prometheus
200:
138:
25:
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1412:Atmospheric entry
1367:Orbital mechanics
1334:
1333:
1216:
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1167:Resistojet rocket
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1032:Intake mechanisms
965:Liquid propellant
869:Cold gas thruster
716:. IEPC-2019-585.
1483:
1448:
1432:Alcubierre drive
1422:Field propulsion
1372:Orbital maneuver
1360:Related concepts
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1078:Colloid thruster
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561:. Archived from
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481:. Archived from
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304:Space Flyer Unit
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39:which uses the
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590:on 2012-03-05
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565:on 2012-03-05
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485:on 2016-10-18
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452:"PROPELLANTS"
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41:Lorentz force
38:
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21:
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1392:Space launch
1324:Fission sail
1252:Radioisotope
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1083:Ion thruster
1001:Power cycles
987:Bipropellant
879:Steam rocket
874:Water rocket
713:
700:
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663:
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603:
592:. Retrieved
588:the original
578:
567:. Retrieved
563:the original
553:
535:
526:
509:
487:. Retrieved
483:the original
459:. Retrieved
455:
446:
403:Ion thruster
375:
368:
332:Centrospazio
312:RKK Energiya
300:Soviet Union
297:
285:
277:1.43 eV
269:1.48 eV
247:
228:
213:
201:
159:
120:
93:
65:
49:
32:
28:
26:
1407:Aerocapture
1402:Aerobraking
1283:Open system
1267:"Lightbulb"
1208:Mass driver
958:Propellants
889:Diffractive
514:300, 58–65
336:Alta S.p.A.
190:Development
1465:Categories
1427:Warp drive
1257:Salt-water
975:Hypergolic
884:Solar sail
594:2008-05-28
569:2008-05-28
489:2016-10-18
461:2022-11-05
439:References
156:Advantages
116:efficiency
970:Cryogenic
358:centers (
235:Roskosmos
203:(such as
170: m/s
85:hydrazine
1262:Gas core
797:Concepts
740:Archived
718:Archived
684:15220162
543:Archived
392:See also
294:Research
174:45
81:hydrogen
1351:Tethers
1203:MagBeam
1088:Gridded
843:Staging
836:Delta-v
692:1405279
584:"TOPAZ"
380:of the
322:of the
273:bandgap
184:delta-v
112:newtons
110:2.5–25
89:lithium
52:ionized
1177:VASIMR
826:Thrust
804:Rocket
690:
682:
433:VASIMR
371:STS-72
222:; and
220:RORSAT
108:thrust
87:, and
61:thrust
45:arcjet
1186:Other
932:State
721:(PDF)
710:(PDF)
688:S2CID
224:TOPAZ
100:power
77:argon
69:xenon
916:WINE
680:PMID
668:1017
624:RIAN
362:and
356:NASA
328:ISAS
262:GaAs
216:USSR
148:for
114:and
73:neon
59:and
33:MPDT
672:doi
516:doi
350:'s
275:of
168:000
166:110
152:).
1467::
712:.
686:.
678:.
666:.
622:,
498:^
470:^
454:.
386:sp
346:,
342:,
338:,
334:,
330:,
326:,
318:,
314:,
310:,
245:.
226:.
176:lb
162:sp
83:,
79:,
75:,
71:,
47:.
27:A
782:e
775:t
768:v
694:.
674::
639:.
597:.
572:.
518::
492:.
464:.
178:F
134:2
130:a
31:(
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