plasmathruster

A plasmathruster is a type of electric propulsion system used for spacecraft. It generates thrust by accelerating a plasma, which is an ionized gas, to high speeds. Unlike chemical rockets that expel hot gas produced by combustion, plasmathrusters use electrical energy to heat and ionize a propellant, such as xenon or krypton, and then accelerate this charged particles using electric or magnetic fields.

There are several types of plasmathrusters, including ion thrusters and Hall-effect thrusters. Ion thrusters work by ionizing propellant atoms and then accelerating these ions through an electrostatic field. Hall-effect thrusters use a combination of electric and magnetic fields to accelerate the plasma.

The primary advantage of plasmathrusters is their high specific impulse, which is a measure of their fuel efficiency. This means they can achieve the same change in velocity as a chemical rocket using significantly less propellant. This makes them ideal for long-duration missions, such as interplanetary travel or station-keeping for satellites, where reducing mass is crucial. However, plasmathrusters typically produce very low thrust, meaning they accelerate spacecraft very slowly. This makes them unsuitable for rapid maneuvers or launching from planetary surfaces. They are primarily used in the vacuum of space.