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Completed TRL 3 (started at 2, targeting 3)
The project objective is to explore improvements in microwave transmission during reentry obtained by imposing a magnetic field on a dense interfering plasma. The principal goal is to map out plasma dispersion as a function of the magnetic field geometry and strength, and thereby to identify deterministic “windows” for microwave transmissions
The Magnetic Window approach to inducing gaps in reentry and hypersonic flight plasmas, enabling microwave communications, may reduce the persistent problem of RF communications blackout for returning astronauts and hypersonic vehicles.
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