Coulombrepulsionen

Coulombrepulsionen is a hypothetical propulsion concept that seeks to generate thrust by exploiting Coulomb forces between a spacecraft’s electric charge and its surrounding environment. The term combines Coulomb, referring to the electric force between charges, with propulsion and is used in speculative discussions and some science-fiction contexts. In principle, the system would aim to produce a net thrust without carrying significant propellant by creating a controlled interaction with external charges or plasmas.

Two main variants are discussed. One imagines the spacecraft adjusting its electric field configuration to exchange momentum with a surrounding charged medium, such as ionized gas, plasma, or the solar wind, effectively pushing against the environment. A second variant envisions emitting or modulating a beam of charged particles or establishing a tunable sheath of ions to create thrust, with the goal of reducing propellant mass compared with traditional chemical propulsion. In practice, any approach that ejects mass or couples to an external medium transfers momentum, and a truly reactionless form of Coulombrepulsionen would require a suitable external field or medium beyond the spacecraft itself.

The key technical challenges are substantial. Maintaining stable charge control in vacuum, preventing arcing, and shielding components from radiation and charging effects are major considerations. Energy requirements are high for large-scale field manipulation, and material degradation, charge leakage, and interaction with the space environment pose further obstacles. Theoretical analyses emphasize that, absent an external medium or field, momentum conservation constrains the feasibility of producing net thrust.

Status discussions place Coulombrepulsionen firmly in the realm of theoretical and speculative propulsion. There is no operational demonstration, and most related work remains at the conceptual or early experimental stage. Related concepts, such as electrodynamic tethers that exchange momentum with ionospheric plasma, inform ongoing discussions about how external media might enable unconventional propulsion schemes.