Session
Poster Session 1
Location
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Abstract
The plasma magnet uses a rotating magnetic field (RMF) to drive azimuthal currents in ambient plasma, inflating a spacecraft dipole to kilometre scale so momentum is taken directly from the solar wind. Using plasma currents in place of physical coil proposed for similar concepts previously like Magnetosail, M2P2 etc., eliminates the constraints on size and dynamic pressure of seed plasma. Because the inflated plasma — not a structure — sets the obstacle size, thrust is independent of distance from sun while the required power falls as the antenna grows. Earlier experiments showed >10 kA driven currents, inflation beyond ten coil radii and 1.25 N thrust against a 50 km/s simulated wind, yet the concept is TRL 3–4 with no flight heritage. This work motivates flight demonstration of the concept by identifying potential for deep space performance, SmallSat design regime through scaling laws, and consequent identification of requirements and goals for the technology demonstrator.
Document Type
Event
Included in
Plasma Magnet Propulsion for SmallSat Deep Space Missions: Scaling Laws, Trajectory Analysis, and a Path to Flight Demonstration
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT
The plasma magnet uses a rotating magnetic field (RMF) to drive azimuthal currents in ambient plasma, inflating a spacecraft dipole to kilometre scale so momentum is taken directly from the solar wind. Using plasma currents in place of physical coil proposed for similar concepts previously like Magnetosail, M2P2 etc., eliminates the constraints on size and dynamic pressure of seed plasma. Because the inflated plasma — not a structure — sets the obstacle size, thrust is independent of distance from sun while the required power falls as the antenna grows. Earlier experiments showed >10 kA driven currents, inflation beyond ten coil radii and 1.25 N thrust against a 50 km/s simulated wind, yet the concept is TRL 3–4 with no flight heritage. This work motivates flight demonstration of the concept by identifying potential for deep space performance, SmallSat design regime through scaling laws, and consequent identification of requirements and goals for the technology demonstrator.
