Space Propulsion Research Laboratories

In-Space Propulsion Technology Objective
"The objective of NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology Program: to develop in-space propulsion technologies that can enable or benefit science at new destinations; to significantly reduce the time, cost and mass required for spacecraft to reach their destinations - in other words, to "Get More Science Sooner". Accomplishment of this objective will allow mission planners to shift their focus from the difficulty of the journey to the science challenges at the destination.

In-Space Propulsion Technology: What We Do
          -  Aerocapture systems to slow a ship down at its destination without the use of significant on-board propellant...
          -  Electric thrusters that can run not just for minutes but for years, enabling a spacecraft to accelerate continuously through space, rather than merely coast...
          -  Space sails powered by sunlight, capable of quickly pushing spacecraft to the very outskirts of the solar system - or enabling satellite to "hover" at a specific point in space...

These are just a few examples of the technologies now being investigated and developed by NASA's In-Space Propulsion Program. Together with leading propulsion researchers from academia, industry and other government organizations, we seek to identify, fund and fly those technologies that promise to enable a new era of scientific discovery throughout our solar system." ... more

Related Links
Fuelling Interplanetary Travel - Ballute Reentry Technology - Firestar Technologies

The Electric Rocket Propulsion Society
"The International Electric Propulsion Society is the premier venue for the international community involved in the field of electric propulsion to meet and discuss latest research.

The International Electric Propulsion Conference
"The International Electric Propulsion Conference is organized under the sponsorship of the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society and partnership of Aerojet. IEPC is held approximately every 18 months and alternates between locations in the United States and overseas."... more

Related Links
Space Systems Design Studio - SSL at MIT - ElectroDynamic Applications - Electron Technologies - CU Aerospace - Hughes Research Laboratories - Deep Space 1
EPL - NG Electric Propulsion - ESA - ISAS - Russian Federal Space Agency

The International PPT & iMPD Working Group
"The International PPT & iMPD working group has been founded during the 1st International PPT & iMPD Workshop 2007 in Stuttgart, Germany. At this workshop, many of the researchers gathered to discuss the current technology of PPTs and iMPDs. During this very productive week, the decision has been made to establish the International PPT & iMPD Working Group to further communication within the group and to promote of the significant potential of PPTs and iMPDs.

What is a PPT?
A Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) or Pulsed Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster (iMPD) is an electric space propulsion system. It works with help of electromagnetic forces and is hence grouped together with the stationary MPD Thruster, the Hall Thruster and the Inductive Thruster.

A PPT consists of four main parts. First, a capacitor is needed to store the energy for the pulse. Electrodes are connected to the capacitor to establish an electric potential. The propellant necessary is situated between the electrodes. To ignite the pulse, a spark plug is installed.

Once the capacitors are charged the spark plug triggers and forms a short-time arc discharge. This discharge ionizes propellant along the surface causing a discharge of the main circuit. The ablated and ionized propellant forms a conductive plasma sheet. This circuit forms a current loop that creates a magnetic field. The magnetic field perpendicular to the plasma current leads to a Lorentz force accelerating the plasma. Hence an impulse is achieved by the thruster. One pulse ends when the entire energy stored in the capacitor is discharged.

The moving plasma between the electrodes adds a time dependent resistance and inductance to the circuit of the thruster, thereby influencing the oscillation behavior. The energy stored in the capacitor bank does not have to be provided by the pulse power unit continuously but may be supplied in between the pulses. This reduces the power requirements of the thruster on the on-board power supply, allowing for more flexibility in power management." .... more

The PEPL Mission
The experimental and theoretical research program is guided by three goals:
          1.  To make electric propulsion (EP) devices more efficient and of better performance
          2.  To Understand spacecraft integration issues that could impede the widespread use of these devices on scientific, commercial, and military spacecraft
          3.  To identify non-propulsion applications of EP systems (e.g., plasma processing, space-plasma simulation)

The PEPL Story
"Founded in 1992, by Professor Alec Gallimore, the Plasmadynamics and Electric Propulsion Laboratory is now one of the world's leading electric propulsion research centers. The centerpiece of the laboratory is the Large Vacuum Test Facility (LVTF), 9-m long and 6-m diameter cylindrical stainless-steel clad vacuum chamber. The chamber was built, in 1961, by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Company for the Bendix Corporation. Originally named the "Space Simulation Chamber," early experiments investigated the development of Lunar Rovers (at one point the chamber floor was covered in sand for astronaut and rover lunar surface testing) and various other Apollo era research projects...

The chamber was donated to the University of Michigan in 1982 and laid relatively dormant until Professor Gallimore came to the university to turn the facility into a state-of-the-art electric propulsion laboratory. To this end, the chamber's original oil diffusion pumps have been superseded (in the 1990s) by a series of seven liquid-N2 baffled reentrant cryogenic pumps that reach a high-vacuum base pressure of 2x10-7 with a combined pumping speed of 500,000 liters-Air/sec (or 240,000 liters-Xe/sec). Initial research at PEPL, in the early 1990s, focused on arcjets, cathodes, and MPDs while work with Hall effect thrusters began in 1994. During the mid- to late-nineties, a series of Hall thrusters including: the End-Hall thruster, the 1.35-kW MAI Hall thruster, the D-100 TAL, the D55 TAL, the SPT-70, the SPT-100, the SPT-140, the PEPL-70 (designed and built by PEPL), the P-5 (a 5-kW thruster designed built by the AFRL/PEPL), and the Aerojet/Busek BPT-4000. Research with ion thrusters began in 1997 (thermal modelling) and 1998 (laser diagnostics) with PEPL testing the NASA built NSTAR (NASA Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Application Readiness) Functional Model Thruster version 2. The final flight version of the NSTAR thruster was used on the NASA Deep Space 1 (presently the ) and Dawn missions. During 2000-2010 research projects focused predominantly on developing advanced Hall thrusters and on gathering enhanced understanding of their underlying physics..." ... more - Isp Lab

The Nonequilibrium Gas and Plasma Dynamics Laboratory
"The Nonequilibrium Gas & Plasma Dynamics Laboratory (NGPDL) is directed by Professor Iain D. Boyd. NGPDL is active in the development and application of physical models and numerical methods for simulation of nonequilibrium gas flows and plasmas. Current aerospace application areas include electric propulsion (small rockets used to control spacecraft), and hypersonic aerothermodynamics (flight of spacecraft at high speeds).

Nonequilibrium means that the rates of fundamental processes (such as chemical reactions) are too slow to allow the system to reach equilibrium. Such behavior can have a significant impact on basic system performance such as the thrust of a rocket or the heat transfer to a hypersonic vehicle.

NGPDL develops models for simulating nonequilibrium flows using a variety of numerical techniques ranging from particle methods (e.g. direct simulation Monte Carlo, Particle In Cell, molecular dynamics), to continuum methods (Computational Fluid Dynamics, hydrodynamics). We also are conducting research into development of hybrid methods that use several of these techniques within a single simulation. (...)

The NGPDL research in nonequilibrium gases and plasmas involves development of physical models for the gas and plasma systems of interest, development of numerical algorithms on the latest supercomputers, and application to challenging flows in several exciting projects. We place a great deal of emphasis on comparison of our calculations with external experimental and theoretical results, and have ongoing collaborative studies with colleagues at the University of Michigan, other universities, government laboratories, and industry." ... more

Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering
"the Michigan Institute for Plasma Science and Engineering! MIPSE is a community of faculty, staff and students at the University of Michigan whose research and education programs are devoted to the advancement of the science and technology of plasmas. The breadth of research is impressive - from laser produced plasmas for particle acceleration to plasmas in the earth's magnetosphere.

Plasma Science and Engineering is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses an impressive diversity of topics - from thrusters for spacecraft to imploding pellets for fusion, from fundamental science to industrial technologies. This intellectual diversity is so broad that scientists in one field of plasma physics may not be able to keep abreast of what is happening in another field of plasma physics. At the same time, it is perhaps even more important that the general public, from high school students to senior citizens, have an appreciation of the importance of plasmas to their daily life. (After all, the sun is a plasma (!) and every microchip is made with plasmas.) The MIPSE mission therefore has an important outreach component. One part of that mission is outreach within the discipline wherein scientists in the various fields of plasma science learn from each other about the opportunities, similarities and differences of the sub-fields of plasma science." ... more

Related Links about Power & Space Propulsion

PST Lab at UMich - SPRL at UMich - Hall Thrusters - History of Hall Thrusters

Particle in Cell Consulting
"Particle in Cell Consulting LLC develop computer codes for analyzing flows of plasmas and rarefied gases.

Particle in Cell Consulting is specialized in the following:
          -  Plasma physics and computational fluid dynamics
          -  Transport of rarefied gases and plasmas
          -  Studies of electric propulsion thrusters
          -  Spacecraft/plume interactions and spacecraft charging
          -  Contamination transport and electrostatic return flux
          -  Vacuum chamber modeling
          -  Sputtering and laser ablation
          -  Code parallelization and performance optimization
          -  Data analysis and visualization

You can learn more about Particle in Cell Consulting and his work on the projects page, and also from the Particle in Cell Consulting past publications.

On the Particle in Cell Consulting site you will also find a scientific computing blog, where you will find articles discussing topics relevant to plasma physics and rarefied gas modeling, as well as code optimization, and data analysis. You can subscribe to start receiving blog updates via email. Simply enter your email address." ... more

The Electric Propulsion and Plasma Engineering Laboratory
"The Colorado State University Electric Propulsion & Plasma Engineering (CEPPE) Laboratory has been providing research, development, and testing since 1965.

Research & development activities at the CEPPE laboratory include:
          -  Ion Thrusters / Hall Thrusters / Electric Propulsion
          -  Hollow Cathodes
          -  Emissive Membrane & Solid State Thrusters
          -  Hydroxyapatite Thin Films & Biomedical Applications
          -  Thermoelectric Materials
          -  Computational Modeling & Ion Optics
          -  Electrodynamic Tethers
          -  Sputtering & Erosion Problems
          -  Space-Based Applications of Plasma Technology

History of the CEPPE laboratory
In the United States, the use of ion thrusters for electric propulsion in space began with the launch of Space Electric Rocket Test I (SERT I) in 1964. There are now over a hundred ion thrusters, in various forms, operating on geosynchronous communication satellites. In addition, the highly successful Deep Space 1 mission has shown the usefulness and adaptability of ion thrusters on long missions in hostile space environments.

Ion Propulsion Research at CSU began in the mid 1960's when Bill Michelson and Lionel Baldwin came to CSU, and began a period of work with ion thrusters and ion beam neutralization (work they had started at NASA Glenn). With the help of Virgil Sandborn (also from Glenn) they drew up some plans and had a California-based company build a vacuum chamber 1.2 meters in diameter and 6 meters in length; it was pumped by the same Stokes roughing pump, roots blower and CVC diffusion pump that are in operation today." ... more

The High-Power Electric Propulsion Laboratory (HPEPL)
The High-Power Electric Propulsion Laboratory (HPEPL) in the Georgia Institute of Technology Department of Aerospace Engineering was founded in 2005 under the direction of Prof. Mitchell Walker.

Dr. Walker
Dr. Walker's primary research interests lie in electric propulsion, plasma physics, and hypersonic aerodynamics/plasma interaction. He has extensive design and testing experience with Hall thrusters and ion engines. Dr. Walker performed seminal work in Hall thruster clustering and vacuum chamber facility effects. His current research activities involve both theoretical and experimental work in advanced spacecraft propulsion systems, diagnostics, plasma physics, helicon plasma sources, magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, and pulsed inductive thrusters.

Laboratory Goals:
          1  To increase the performance and efficiency of high-power electric propulsion (EP) devices
          2  To identify and understand spacecraft integration issues that may prevent widespread use of EP systems on spacecraft
          3  To understand the life-limiting factors of EP devices
          4  To identify non-propulsion applications of EP systems (e.g., space-plasma simulation and re-entry flow simulation)" ... more

Alta
"Alta is a leading European small company in the aerospace propulsion sector. We operate in research and development on space electric propulsion, chemical propulsion and aerothermodynamics. Our company provides testing services, high vacuum systems and facilities and space systems design and computational simulation tools. With a successful record of technology transfer cases, we are also active in the energy and industrial plasma sectors.

Electric Propulsion
With propulsion systems suited to a variety of missions - from interplanetary probes to low-cost microsatellites - Alta covers the broadest EP technology range among European companies. Alta’s researchers and engineers make up the largest and most experienced European R&D team working on EP, with know-how and capability in all EP application fields.
          -  Hall Effect Thrusters
          -  FEEP - Field Emission Electric Propulsion
          -  MPD - MagnetoPlasmaDynamic Propulsion
          -  Diagnostics for Electric Propulsion

Alta's excellence in Electric Propulsion (EP) technologies is demonstrated by a long record of achievements:
          -  1974: first European Pulsed Plasma Thruster
          -  1980: first European quasi-steady Magneto-Plasma-Dynamic Thruster
          -  1994: first European Hall Effect Thruster
          -  1999: first integrated FEEP micro-thruster
          -  2001: first European high power Hall Effect Thruster
          -  2004: first European miniaturized Hall Effect Thruster
          -  2005: largest European electric propulsion testing facility." ... more

Busek Co, Inc
"For over 25 years Busek has been engaged in research and development efforts to create leading edge electric propulsion thrusters that enable new classes of missions to be undertaken by government, industry and academia.

After early research efforts in plasma physics, Busek spent years developing Hall Effect Thrusters, culminating in the launch of the first US-based Hall Thruster on TacSat-2 and more recently the launch of FalconSat-5, including another Busek Hall Thruster.

Busek also has also been actively developing micro-Pulsed Plasma Thrusters, featuring the use of a solid Teflon propellant. Capable of delivering precision impulse bits, Busek delivered several pulsed plasma thrusters that flew successfully on FalconSat-3.

As part of the NASA-ESA joint effort to validate one of Einstein's last unproven predictions, Busek delivered precision electrospray thrusters capable of ultra low-noise thrust for the Lisa Pathfinder mission. This technology has also enabled the development of an efficient NanoSat / CubeSat electrospray propulsion system.

Busek has also been actively developing electrothermal propulsion systems, micro-resistojets, and RF ion thrusters. In the course of these efforts, Busek has developed unique support systems to create complete, rugged systems – including valves, cathodes, power processing units and digital control interface units."... more

Ad Astra Rocket Company (AARC)
"Ad Astra Rocket Company (AARC) is a spaceflight engineering company dedicated to the development of advanced plasma rocket propulsion technology. The company is developing the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR®) and its associated technologies.

The company is located 3 miles to the West of the NASA Johnson Space Center, and about 25 miles to the South of the city of Houston, TX. AARC was incorporated on January 14th, 2005 and officially organized on the 15th of July of 2005.

Dr. Franklin R. Chang Díaz serves as company President and CEO. Dr. Chang Díaz invented the VASIMR® concept and has been working on its development since 1979, starting at The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory in Cambridge Massachusetts and continuing at the MIT Plasma Fusion Center before moving the project to the Johnson Space Center in 1994.

In the development of the VASIMR® engine, Ad Astra Rocket Company has collaborated with NASA Johnson Space Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston and various other government space and research centers, industrial companies and academic organizations, including foreign universities.

VASIMR
The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR®) represents the future of translunar and interplanetary transportation as well as propulsion within Earth orbit. Its superb efficiency compared to that of a conventional chemical rocket allows double the payload mass for lunar delivery and half the transit time to Mars. Its robust design allows much greater power levels than existing electric propulsion systems and promises longer lifetimes.

The VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR®) is a new type of electric thruster with many unique advantages. In a VASIMR®, gas such as argon, xenon, or hydrogen is injected into a tube surrounded by a magnet and a series of two radio wave (RF) antennas (called "couplers" in this context). The couplers turn cold gas into superheated plasma and the expanding magnetic field at the end of the rocket (the magnetic nozzle) converts the plasma particles' thermal motion into directed flow." ... more

Micropropulsion and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MpNL)
"The Micropropulsion and Nanotechnology Laboratory of Professor Keidar is active in the experimental and theoretical study of plasmas. Current application areas include electric propulsion, atmospheric plasma jets, carbon nanotube synthesis and applications, hypersonics, plasma-wall interactions and arc discharges. MpNL have ongoing collaborative studies with colleagues at the George Washington University, other universities, and government laboratories.

MpNL use numerical and experimental tools to investigate a wide range of plasma-related processes. Research areas include spacecraft propulsion, biomedical applications, ablation and nanotechnology.

MpNL spacecraft propulsion research
The MpNL spacecraft propulsion research includes in-house effort to build and characterize a thruster based on the vacuum arc jet ablation. In this thruster, a high-temperature spot is created which evaporates the cathode material. An external magnetic field is then used to turn the material and eject it out of the device. The MpNL experimental effort is complemented by a numerical simulation, in which we resolve the motion of plasma components, electrons and ions, using a particle based approach. In addition, MpNL study the effect of thruster geometry and near wwall effects on the performance of Hall effect thrusters using the Particle In Cell technique. The vacuum arc thruster is also utilized to study hypersonic plasmas. " ... more

The Hall Thruster Experiment (HTX)

"The Hall Thruster Experiment (HTX) was established in 1999. The research objectives of the HTX are:

       -  Control of spatial distribution of plasma parameters in order to reduce beam divergence in the thruster channel and plume.
       -  Scaling of Hall thrusters to low (tens W) and high power (tens kW) levels.
       -  Understanding of physics involved in operation of Hall thrusters and crossed field plasma devices in general:

              *  Electron transport across magnetic field
              *  Plasma-wall interactions
              *  Plasma instabilities and their control
              *  Limitations of magnetic insulation in plasmas with magnetized electrons and non-magnetized ions.

       -  Interaction of high flux plasma jets with different targets (magnetic field, plasma and solid).
       -  Exploring of new configurations of crossed field plasma devices for space, scientific and industrial applications.
       -  Study of steady state electrical discharge in crossed field devices under various pressures and gases.
       -  Measurements of secondary electron emission properties of dielectric materials in low electron energy range (<1 keV).
       -  Applications of ferro-electric materials for efficient ionization and control of plasma-wall interaction in plasma sources. "... more

Other Util Links
Princeton PPST - Princeton GPPP - EPPDyL - SPPL

ElectroDynamic Applications (EDA)
"EDA is focused on developing new applications and products for plasma-based technology. EDA performs technology development at all stages from conceptual design and numerical simulation, to prototype manufacturing, to testing and qualification. The EDA primary business sectors include aerospace and the growing areas of energy and materials processing.

The EDA specialties include:
       -  In-space electric propulsion (EP)
              *  Hall thrusters
              *  Ion thrusters
              *  Nanoparticle propulsion
              *  Electrodynamic tether propulsion
              *  Arcjets
              *  Cathodes
       -  Plasmas and plasma diagnostics
       -  Plasma chemistry
       -  Nanoparticle processing
       -  Hypervelocity system - plasma interaction and remediation
       -  Related space and vacuum technology
       -  Magnetic and electric field modeling

Plus spacecraft and vacuum technologies in general. EDA's business activities focus on critical technology incubation and high-tech contract research for academic, industrial, and government clients."... more

Antimatter Space Propulsion
""Antimatter has tremendous energy density," said Dr. George Schmidt, chief of propulsion research and technology at NASA/Marshall. Matter-antimatter annihilation - the complete conversion of matter into energy - releases the most energy per unit mass of any known reaction in physics.

The popular belief is that an antimatter particle coming in contact with its matter counterpart yields energy. That's true for electrons and positrons (anti-electrons). They'll produce gamma rays at 511,000 electron volts. But heavier particles like protons and anti-protons are somewhat messier, making gamma rays and leaving a spray of secondary particles that eventually decay into neutrinos and low-energy gamma rays. And that is partly what Schmidt and others want in an antimatter engine. The gamma rays from a perfect reaction would escape immediately, unless the ship had thick shielding, and serve no purpose. But the charged debris from a proton/anti-proton annihilation can push a ship. "We want to get as close as possible to the initial annihilation event," Schmidt explained. What's important is intercepting some of the pions and other charged particles that are produced and using the energy to produce thrust."

This is not your father's starship
He's not going to use it the way that the Starship Enterprise did, creating a warp field to move the vessel across space faster than the speed of light. At its most basic level, an antimatter rocket is still a Newtonian rocket moving a space probe through action and reaction. And what a reaction. Where the Space Shuttle Main Engine has a specific impulse, a measure of efficiency, of 455 seconds, and nuclear fission could reach 10,000 seconds, fusion could provide 60,000 to 100,000 seconds, and matter/antimatter annihilation up to 100,000 to 1,000,000 seconds."... more

Other Antimatter Space Propulsion Links
Antimatter Space Propulsion at PSU - HiPAT-LiH (PDF) - Storage of Antimatter (PDF-1) - Storage of Antimatter (PDF-2) - NASA Antimatter Propulsion (PDF) - NIAC
Antimatter Spaceship for Mars

The Lightcraft Project
"The lightcraft is a revolutionary new type of transportation for use in earth-bound transportation as well as space bound flights. The lightcraft takes advantage of beamed-energy technology. Energy beaming allows the lightcraft to carry virtually no on-board propellant, greatly reducing its mass. Mass reduction allows the lightcraft to quickly and cheaply reach speeds which are needed for modern space travel. In the 1960's NASA and the Russian Space Agency first brought man to space. In the near future, the lightcraft will allow mankind as a whole to go there as well.

The Spacecraft Structure
The Lightcraft is an inflated vehicle capable of attaining supersonic speeds while in an atmosphere as well as high-velocity space flight. The primary framework of the lightcraft is constructed around a toroidal pressure vessel at the lightcraft's rim. The main hull section, shaped like a shallow dome, is supported from this structure. The toroidal pressure vessel and main framework of the vehicle are fabricated from an interlocking series of silicon carbide films and frames of varying shapes and sizes.

The toroid itself is pressurized to 25 atmospheres in order to maintain the lenticular lightcraft geometry against the propulsion system loads. The material used in the construction of the toroidal pressure vessel and hull is silicon carbide. Another key component in the framework of the lightcraft are the two high-power, parabolic rectennas that dominate nearly half the vehicle. The central parabolic rectenna is supported by ultra-light "I-beam" truses that are the only spacecraft members to take compressive loads. This basic mechanical framework provides physical integrity to the vehicle during all phases of operation. Active anti-vibrational attenuators are connected at key points in the structure. These attenuators can detect vibrational occurrences and react appropriately, causing counter vibrations, negating detrimental effects in structural members because of oscillatory fluctuations. Numerous system components are built into the hull structure, including the microwave rectennas and photovoltaic power array."... more

The University of Tennessee Space Institute
"The University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI) is a graduate education and research institution located in Middle Tennessee adjacent to the U. S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center. UTSI was established in 1964 as part of The University of Tennessee and has become an internationally recognized institution for graduate study and research in engineering, physics, mathematics, and aviation systems and has made remarkable contributions at the local, state, national, and global levels.

Areas of Research
Excellence in research is the foundation of UTSI's reputation. About 50 percent of the Institute's annual revenue comes from research performed for industrial partners from a variety of technological disciplines, reflecting their confidence in UTSI faculty and students to perform unique, successful, and applicable research.

UTSI strive to remain innovative in the fields of research. While the current areas of emphasis are materials and propulsion, the Institute's faculty, staff, and students are involved in a wide range of research and educational pursuits." ... more

Other Links
University of Tennessee - The Bredesen Center - UTK Research Centers - CLA - The Science Alliance - JICS - JIAM - JINS - JIHIR
ORNL

The Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL)
"The Space Propulsion Laboratory (SPL) houses experimental facilities to support research and educational programs for undergraduate and graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. SPL provides the infrastructure to support the Space Propulsion graduate field in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

The need to increase performance and reduce costs of space systems has caused a dynamic research environment in which advanced technologies are conceived and developed. A significant fraction of SPL's research is focused on the development and modeling of space thrusters.

In electric propulsion, charged particles are produced and accelerated with electromagnetic fields to velocities much larger than with conventional rockets providing significant propellant savings. Because of this, most communication satellites and scientific missions are turning to this type of advanced propulsion. Electric propulsion allows people to explore in more detail the structure of the universe, increase the lifetime of commercial payloads and look for signs of life in far away places."... more

Links MIT
PSFC at MIT - AeroAstro at MIT - SSL at MIT - EECS at MIT - MITMechE - Plasma Surface Interactions Science - COMSOL Plasma Module

M2P2 Propulsion
"A race to the edge of the solar system and into interstellar space could come out of a grant awarded recently by NASA for the University of Washington to develop an innovative space propulsion concept.

The Dr. Robert Winglee's M2P2 - concept
Winglee's M2P2 concept would use the solar wind to push on a small imitation of the Earth's magnetosphere and accelerate the spacecraft(...)

M2P2 would generate a magnetic field and then inject plasma (ionized gas) that would drag the magnetic field lines out and form a plasma bubble 30 to 60 km (18-36 mi) in diameter. This is similar to the Earth's magnetic field trapping a large volume of electrified gas - thus forming the magnetosphere - and forcing the solar wind to flow around it...

For the M2P2 spacecraft, a magnetic field of 0.1 Tesla (about 1000 times stronger than Earth's magnetic field) could be generated by a conventional solenoid. The helicon plasma source "is amazingly simple." With a bottle of just 3 kg (6.6 lb) of helium as the plasma fuel, the magnetic bubble could be operated for three months. The size of the bubble would expand and contract with variations in the solar wind, so the force on the 100 kg spacecraft would stay constant at 1 Newton (about a quarter of a pound). The 3 kilowatts of electricity to run the magnet and plasma generator would come from solar cells.

There is enough power in the solar wind to accelerate a 136 kg (300 lb) spacecraft to speeds of up to 288,000 km/h (180,000 mph) or 6.9 million km (4.3 million mi) a day. By contrast, the space shuttle travels at about 7.7 km/s (17,300 mph) or 688,000 km (430,000 mi) a day."... more

Other Util Links
Advanced Electric Propulsion - WSGC - The Heliosphere - The Magnetospheres