Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion: Tapping the energy of the solar wind for spacecraft propulsion
Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion: Tapping the energy of the solar wind for spacecraft propulsion
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DOI：
10.1029/1999ja000334
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发表时间：
2000-09-01
影响因子：
2.8
通讯作者：
Goodson, A
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Winglee, RM;Slough, J;Goodson, A
微型磁层等离子体推进是一种潜在的革命性等离子体推进概念，可以使航天器以前所未有的50至80公里/秒（-1）的速度飞出太阳系或者能够实现行星之间的旅行，对于几天到几天的加速周期，对于每100千克有效载荷类似于1千瓦的低功率要求和每天类似于0.5千克的燃料消耗，周该系统获得的高效率和比冲是由于其利用环境能量（在这种情况下是太阳风的能量）来提供增强的推力。与太阳风的耦合是通过将等离子体注入航天器上的螺线管线圈所支持的磁场而产生的大规模磁泡或微型磁层产生的。这种膨胀是由电磁过程驱动的，因此消除了与机械帆相关的材料和部署问题。
Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion is a potentially revolutionary plasma propulsion concept that could enable spacecraft to travel out of the solar system at unprecedented speeds of 50 to 80 km s(-1) or could enable travel between the planets for low power requirements of similar to 1 kW per 100 kg of payload and similar to 0.5 kg fuel consumption per day for acceleration periods of several days to a few weeks. The high efficiency and specific impulse attained by the system are due to its utilization of ambient energy, in this case the energy of the solar wind, to provide the enhanced thrust. Coupling to the solar wind is produced through a large-scale magnetic bubble or mini-magnetosphere generated by the injection of plasma into the magnetic field supported by solenoid coils on the spacecraft. This inflation is driven by electromagnetic processes, so that the material and deployment problems associated with mechanical sails are eliminated.