Abstract
Consuming long-range interplanetary medium as a fuel for driving plasma thrust is crucial. The methods of capturing the space environment depending on its density and the ship velocity are critical issues. The possible ways of creating ionization for neutral fluxes as a function of the solar radiation flux are also analyzed as a potential propellant. These processes define the permissible type of the plasma source. These options look extremely promising where a low thrust device continuously operating, could possibly deliver a celestial target close to the speed of light. Under such conditions at a considerable distance, the density of such material diminishes and it may be impossible to maintain a continuous operation mode of the plasma thruster but instead operate as a pulsed engine which might potentially be workable.
Highlights
The exploration of the Solar system requires a creation of a space engine with a large specific impulse
End-Hall thrusters are capable of creating the exhaust velocity of the order 5 · 105 m/s, the nuclear engine - 104 m/s while the maximum velocity of chemical engines is only 103 m/s [1]-[3]
Proceeding from information about the distribution of interplanetary medium and the Solar radiation, we can estimate the parameters of plasma where we can produce an interplanetary medium in a plasma thruster as a fuel
Summary
The exploration of the Solar system requires a creation of a space engine with a large specific impulse Such characteristics can’t be provided by traditional chemical reactive engines. Nowadays there are several schemes of plasma thrusters: coaxial plasma thruster, stationary plasma thruster, Hall plasma thruster, plasma thruster energy/momentum exchange in crossed magnetic fields [2]-[8] These devices differ from each other in the way of creating acceleration to provide thrust and performance. In comparison with chemical thrusters, which can use only the reserve propellant, in plasma thrusters, one can use solar energy and interplanetary medium as a fuel In this regard, it is worth noting that the use of the interplanetary medium as a fuel for spacecraft has been discussed since Bussard [9, 10] up to nowadays works It would be of interest to discuss such an approach to using plasma thrusters
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