Laboratory testing of the Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) prototype

Details Laboratory testing of the Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) prototype Laboratory testing of the Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) prototype

Feb 2001

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2001aipc..552..407w&link_type=abstract

Space Technology and Applications International Forum - 2001. AIP Conference Proceedings, Volume 552, pp. 407-412 (2001).

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Particle Emission, Solar Wind, Spaceborne And Space Research Instruments, Apparatus, And Components

Scientific paper

Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2) seeks the creation of a magnetic wall or bubble (i.e., a magnetosphere) attached to a spacecraft that will intercept the solar wind and thereby provide high-speed propulsion with little expenditure of propellant. Results from a laboratory prototype that demonstrate the basic formation and expansion of a mini-magnetosphere are presented. The prototype uses a helicon source embedded asymmetrically in a dipole-like magnetic field. Breakdown of the plasma can be produced at neutral pressures of between about 0.25 to 1 mTorr to produce plasma densities of the order of 1011-1012 cm-3 with a temperature of a few eV. The plasma pressure is sufficient to cause the outward expansion or inflation of the mini-magnetosphere. The motion of both open and closed field lines within the vacuum chamber is demonstrated through the optical emissions from the helicon plasma. Inflation of the magnetosphere to several feet away from the magnetic coil and the equatorial confinement of the plasma are demonstrated. In space, inflation to about 15-20 km would be expected for the same configuration, which would potentially lead to the acceleration a 70-140 kg payload to speeds of about 50-80 km/s over a 3-month acceleration period. At this speed, missions to the heliopause and beyond can be achieved in under 10 yrs. .

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