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Research on plasma thruster assisted in the development of electrodeless plasma thrusters
[China Instrument Network Instrument Development] On July 18, foreign media reported that researchers have figured out the factors affecting plasma flow through a series of new experiments, which are helpful for the development of electrodeless plasma thrusters.
We know that the magnetic field lines in space will extend under the influence of the plasma, resulting in an increase in the magnetic field; but in the laboratory, the opposite is true, and the magnetic field intensity does not increase.
Researchers are developing plasma thrusters based on this. In an open magnetic field, the plasma flow speeds up, thus propelling the spacecraft forward.
Scientists have found a transition point where the plasma generates thrust while also allowing the magnetic field to extend into space. This helps overcome a major challenge facing the technology.
Plasma is an extremely hot gas composed of charged particles. It is almost ubiquitous in the universe and is affected by environmental forces such as magnetic fields. Researchers at Tohoku University in Japan pointed out that the complex performance of plasma in space and in the laboratory shows that it can generate magnetic fields in the opposite direction of the applied magnetic field. The magnetic field lines of the two are mutually exclusive, just like two magnets facing each other.
The plasma thrusters developed in recent years rely on magnetic nozzles (MNs for short), but the technology faces many challenges. In the laboratory, the magnetic field is closed, and the magnetic field lines turn toward the spacecraft, causing the plasma to also reverse the direction, so that the total thrust is positive and negative and the sum is zero.
To solve this problem, the researchers analyzed the situation when the magnetic field was extended to infinity. With this approach, the team observed a transition phase between two plasma states where the magnetic field lines are mutually exclusive and extend outward. When they detect the extension of the magnetic field line in the downstream region of the magnetic field, the plasma is in the above transitional phase. If it happens in the upstream area, the plasma will still cause the magnetic field lines to be mutually exclusive.
The results of the study not only indicate that the plasma is able to extend the magnetic field into space while generating thrust, but also that the extension speed is slower than previously expected. Although similar, the researchers believe that this is a huge step forward in separating the plasma from the magnetic nozzle.
Scientists hope to develop plasma thrusters to power spacecraft and satellites after they enter space. This technology can provide strong thrust while the electrodes are not exposed to the plasma, which greatly reduces losses.
(Original Title: Major breakthroughs in plasma thruster research: It helps electrodeless thruster R&D)