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Results for “Magneto Plasma”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Electromagnetic wave propagation in a magneto-plasma filled coaxial structure. I - Theoretical. II - Experimental

This study is concerned with the problem of electromagnetic wave propagation in a magneto-plasma filled coaxial structure. The problem is formulated using the classical boundary value problem approach. A numerical investigation shows the existence of propagating slow modes, backward modes, a quasi-TEM mode, and waveguide-type modes in a magneto-plasma filled coaxial structure. Dispersion curves for these different modes are presented. Measurements have been made of electromagnetic propagation in a coaxial electrode structure filled with longitudinally magnetized plasma. The annular plasma region had a 9.55 cm outer diameter, a 3.82 cm inner diameter and was approximately 60 cm long. A magnetic field of 300 gauss was employed. Electromagnetic wave frequencies were in the range .5 to 2.4 GHz. The plasma was generated by a continuous glow discharge. The resulting dispersion curves closely follow the predicted curves for the quasi-TEM mode.

Askins, H. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Electric dipole radiation at VLF in a uniform warm magneto-plasma.

Use of a linear full electromagnetic wave theory to calculate the input impedance of an electric antenna embedded in a uniform, lossless, unbounded warm magnetoplasma, which is assumed to consist of warm electrons and cold ions. In calculating the dipole radiation resistance for the thermal modes and the thermally modified whistler mode the analysis includes the finite temperature only for the electrons. In deriving the formal solution of the warm plasma dipole input impedance a full-wave analysis is used and two antenna orientations are considered, parallel and perpendicular to the static magnetic field. A general dispersion equation governing the modes of propagation is derived and a detailed analysis is made of the propagation characteristics of these modes.

Wang, T. N. C.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Magneto-plasma-dynamic arc thruster

The performance of a magnetoplasmadynamic arc thruster, in the 600 to 2,100 seconds specific impulse range, was improved by locating its cathode in the exhaust beam downstream of the anode and main propellant injection point.

Burkhart, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of I-V characteristics of negatively biased panels in a magneto-plasma

Current voltage characteristics of negatively biased panels placed in a plasma environment were analyzed for panel size, electron density, and superimposed magnetic field. It is indicated that the thickness of the surrounding sheath and its rate of growth with bias potential depends on all these parameters in a nonlinear manner.

Miller, D. D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

(abstract) An Assessment of Electric Propulsion Research, Development, and Application in the United States

This paper will discuss the development of Electric Propulsion technology in the U.S. from the 1960's to the present. It will summarize the various activities related to arcjets, resistojets, pulsed plasma thrustors, magneto-plasma-dynamic thrustors, ion engines, and more recently the evaluation of Hall effect thrustors of the SPT or Anode Layer type developed in Russia. Also, demonstration test flight and actual mission applications will be summarized. Finally, the future application of electric propulsion to near-term commercial communications satellites and planetary missions will be projected. This history is rich in diversity, and has involved a succession of types of thrustors, propellants, and electric power sources. With the recent use of arcjets on commercial communication satellites and the flight tests of ion engines for this application, it appears that electric propulsion is finally on the verge of wide spread application.

ion engines electric propulsion arcjets resistojet↗
NASA NTRS2002

A Plasma Rocket Demonstration on the International Space Station

The Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory at the NASA Johnson Space Center has been engaged in the development of a magneto-plasma rocket for several years. This type of rocket could be used in the future to propel interplanetary spacecraft. One feature of this concept is the ability to vary its specific impulse so that it can be operated in a mode that maximizes propellant efficiency or a mode that maximizes thrust. For this reason the system is called the Variable Specific Impulse Magneto-plasma Rocket or VASIMR. This ability to vary specific impulse and thrust will allow for optimum low thrust interplanetary trajectories and results in shorter trip times than is possible with fixed specific impulse systems while preserving adequate payload margins. In the development of the VASIMR technology, a series of ground-based experiments and space demonstrations are envisioned. A ground-based experiment of a low-power VASIMR prototype rocket is currently underway at the Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory. The next step is a proposal to build and fly a 25-kilowatt VASIMR rocket as an external payload on the International Space Station. This experiment will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the performance of the rocket in space and measure the induced environment. The experiment will also utilize the space station for its intended purpose as a laboratory with vacuum conditions that cannot be matched by any laboratory on Earth. The VASIMR experiment will also blaze the trail for the wider application of advanced electric propulsion on the space station. An electric propulsion system like VASIMR, if provided with sufficient electrical power, could provide continuous drag force compensation for the space station. Drag compensation would eliminate the need for reboosting the station, an operation that will consume about 60 metric tons of propellant in a ten-year period. In contrast, an electric propulsion system would require very little propellant. In fact, a system like VASIMR can use waste hydrogen from the station's life support system as its propellant. This waste hydrogen is otherwise dumped overboard. Continuous drag compensation would also improve the microgravity conditions on the station. So electric propulsion can reduce propellant delivery requirements and thereby increase available payload capacity and at the same time improve the conditions for scientific research.

Petro, Andrew J.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Crewed Mission to Callisto Using Advanced Plasma Propulsion Systems

This paper describes the engineering of several vehicles designed for a crewed mission to the Jovian satellite Callisto. Each subsystem is discussed in detail. Mission and trajectory analysis for each mission concept is described. Crew support components are also described. Vehicles were developed using both fission powered magneto plasma dynamic (MPD) thrusters and magnetized target fusion (MTF) propulsion systems. Conclusions were drawn regarding the usefulness of these propulsion systems for crewed exploration of the outer solar system.

Callisto↗
NASA NTRS1999

A Flight Demonstration of Plasma Rocket Propulsion

The Advanced Space Propulsion Laboratory at the Johnson Space Center has been engaged in the development of a magneto-plasma rocket for several years. This type of rocket could be used in the future to propel interplanetary spacecraft. One advantageous feature of this rocket concept is the ability to vary its specific impulse so that it can be operated in a mode which maximizes propellant efficiency or a mode which maximizes thrust. This presentation will describe a proposed flight experiment in which a simple version of the rocket will be tested in space. In addition to the plasma rocket, the flight experiment will also demonstrate the use of a superconducting electromagnet, extensive use of heat pipes, and possibly the transfer of cryogenic propellant in space.

Petro, Andrew↗
DOE OSTI2024

Formation of a spherical plasma liner for plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion

Plasma-jet-driven magneto-inertial fusion is an alternative approach to controlled nuclear fusion, which aims to utilize a line-replaceable dense plasma liner as a repetitive spherical compression driver. In this experiment, first measurements of the formation of a spherical argon plasma liner formed from 36 discrete pulsed plasma jets are obtained on the Plasma Liner Experiment. Properties including liner uniformity and morphology, plasma density, temperature, and ram pressure are assessed as a function of time throughout the implosion process and indicate an apparent transition from initial kinetic inter-jet interpenetration to collisional regime near stagnation times, in accordance with theoretical expectation. A lack of primary shock structures between adjacent jets during flight implies that arbitrarily smooth liners may be formed by way of corresponding improvements in jet parameters and control. The measurements facilitate the benchmarking of computational models and understanding the scaling of plasma liners toward fusion-relevant energy density.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1989

Analysis of suprathermal electron properties at the magnetic pile-up boundary of Comet P/Halley

Among the plasma discontinuities detected by the Giotto spacecraft around Comet P/Halley, the magnetic pile-up boundary, located at about 135,000 km from the nucleus, has a sharpness which was not foreseen by theoretical models. At this boundary, which marks the beginning of the region where the field lines draped around the nucleus have been piled up, the magnetic field jumps sharply. Electron measurements provided by the RPA experiment show that a clear plasma discontinuity coincides with this magnetic feature. Significant changes occur here in the suprathermal electron distribution function. A magneto-plasma sheet is clearly defined after the boundary. Inside this sheet, close correlations exist between the parameters describing the magnetic field and the electron population. The polytropic equation of state governing the suprathermal electrons in the sheet has been deduced from RPA measurements. Some implications of this law are discussed.

Mazelle, C.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Investigation of Recombination Processes In A Magnetized Plasma

Interplanetary travel requires propulsion systems that can provide high specific impulse (Isp), while also having sufficient thrust to rapidly accelerate large payloads. One such propulsion system is the Variable Specific Impulse Magneto-plasma Rocket (VASIMR), which creates, heats, and exhausts plasma to provide variable thrust and Isp, optimally meeting the mission requirements. A large fraction of the energy to create the plasma is frozen in the exhaust in the form of ionization energy. This loss mechanism is common to all electromagnetic plasma thrusters and has an impact on their efficiency. When the device operates at high Isp, where the exhaust kinetic energy is high compared to the ionization energy, the frozen flow component is of little consequence; however, at low Isp, the effect of the frozen flow may be important. If some of this energy could be recovered through recombination processes, and re-injected as neutral kinetic energy, the efficiency of VASIMR, in its low Isp/high thrust mode may be improved. In this operating regime, the ionization energy is a large portion of the total plasma energy. An experiment is being conducted to investigate the possibility of recovering some of the energy used to create the plasma. This presentation will cover the progress and status of the experiment involving surface recombination of the plasma.

Chavers, Greg↗
NASA NTRS2003

Crewed Mission to Callisto Using Advanced Plasma Propulsion Systems

This paper describes the engineering of several vehicles designed for a crewed mission to the Jovian satellite Callisto. Each subsystem is discussed in detail. Mission and trajectory analysis for each mission concept is described. Crew support components are also described. Vehicles were developed using both fission powered magneto plasma dynamic (MPD) thrusters and magnetized target fusion (MTF) propulsion systems. Conclusions were drawn regarding the usefulness of these propulsion systems for crewed exploration of the outer solar system.

Adams, R. B.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Non-linear wave interaction in a magnetoplasma column. I - Theory. II Experiment

The paper presents an analysis of non-linear three-wave interaction for propagation along a cylindrical plasma column surrounded either by a metallic boundary, or by an infinite dielectric, and immersed in an infinite, static, axial magnetic field. An averaged Lagrangian method is used and the results are specialized to parametric amplification and mode conversion, assuming an undepleted pump wave. Computations are presented for a magneto-plasma column surrounded by free space, indicating that parametric growth rates of the order of a fraction of a decibel per centimeter should be obtainable for plausible laboratory plasma parameters. In addition, experiments on non-linear mode conversion in a cylindrical magnetoplasma column are described. The results are compared with the theoretical predictions and good qualitative agreement is demonstrated.

Larsen, J.-M.↗
NASA NTRS1981

MPD thruster application study

Developmental considerations for the magneto-plasma-dynamic (MPD) thruster are defined. General characteristics of an MPD engine are compared to those of chemical propulsion and ion bombardment engines and performance criteria which are mission specific are examined. Requirements for thruster ground testing facilities are discussed and the utilization of the space shuttle for an orbital flight test is addressed.

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