Development of an Electrodeless Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster

I propose to develop a new form of high-power electric propulsion (> 10 kW): an "electrodeless" applied field magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster for crewed exploration to Mars and beyond. NASA has identified high-power electric propulsion as a key enabling technology for deep space exploration. One of the most critical key performance metrics for these proposed systems is high power density. This would allow for the ability to scale to power levels necessary for accelerating large payloads without the thruster becoming prohibitively large or massive. Applied Field MPD (AF-MPD) thrusters, a type of Lorentz force accelerator, are considered a leading choice for enabling these future architectures as they have the highest thrust density compared to any other type of EP system. These devices have many desirable qualities including high-power continuous operation over 100 kW and a high specific impulse in the range of 2000-7000s. However, one of the biggest impediments to AF-MPD thrusters to date has been thruster lifetime. The DC electrodes on these devices that drive the plasma current and acceleration are subject to an extreme plasma environment and thus erode rapidly. My proposal is motivated by the novel idea that it may be possible to create an MPD-like thruster with the advantage of high efficiency and high-power density without the need for directly exposing electrodes to plasma. By inductively driving the current, I may be able to solve these outstanding problems with MPD operation, thus opening a new class of thrusters for the next generation of space exploration.

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