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starship-design: Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion, M2P2 , system
I wonder if this could be used effectively as an interstellar break? Nothing
in the paper talks about effective ISP or power consumption vrs thrust.
Kelly
http://peaches.niac.usra.edu/studies/9801/winglee.html
The Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion, M2P2 , system provides a
revolutionary means for spacecraft propulsion that can efficiently utilize
the energy from the space plasmas to accelerate payloads to much higher
speeds than can be attained by present chemical (oxidizing propulsion
systems. The system utilizes an innovative configuration of existing
technology based on well established principles of plasma physics. It has the
potential of feasibly providing cheap, fast propulsion that could power
Interstellar Probe, as well as powering payloads that would be required for a
manned mission to Mars. As such the proposed work for missions out of the
solar system and between the planets. The project is interdisciplinary
involving space science, plasma engineering, and aeronautics and space
transportation, which are key components of NIAC's program. The M2P2 system
utilizes low energy plasma to transport or inflate a magnetic field beyond
the typical scale lengths that can be supported by a standard solenoid
magnetic field coil. In space, the inflated magnetic field can be used to
reflect high speed (400 - 1000 km/s) solar wind particles and attain
unprecedented acceleration for a power input of only a few kW which can be
easily achieved by solar electric units. Our initial estimates for a minimum
system can provide a typical thrust of about 3 Newton continuous (0.6 MW
continuous power), with a specific impulse of 104 to 105s) to produce an
increase in speed of about 30 km/s in a period of 3 months. Proposed
optimization could allow the development of system that increase the
acceleration with less expenditure of fuel so that a mission could leave the
solar system could become a reality.