Related papers: Electrostatic AB-Ramjet Space Propulsion
Large-payload deep space missions are impractical with current rocket propulsion technologies in use. Chemical thrusters yield a high thrust but low efficiency while ion thrusters are efficient but provide too little thrust for large…
Launching orbital and suborbital rockets from a high altitude is beneficial because of e.g. nozzle optimisation and reduced drag. Aeroplanes and gas balloons have been used for the purpose. Here we present a concept where a balloon is…
This paper provides perspectives on recent progress in the understanding of the physics of devices where the external magnetic field is applied perpendicularly to the discharge current. This configuration generates a strong electric field,…
A three-dimensional (3-D), self-consistent code is employed to solve for the static potential structure surrounding a spacecraft in a high photoelectron environment. The numerical solutions show that, under certain conditions, a spacecraft…
Hot Jupiters, with atmospheric temperatures T ~ 1000 K, have residual thermal ionization levels sufficient for the interaction of the ions with the planetary magnetic field to result in a sizable magnetic drag on the (neutral) atmospheric…
Author offers conclusions from his research of a revolutionary new idea - transferring electric energy in the hard vacuum of outer space wirelessly, using a plasma power cord as an electric cable (wire). He shows that a certain minimal…
Rapidly rotating, strongly magnetized neutron stars (``millisecond proto-magnetars'') formed in stellar core-collapse, neutron star mergers, and white dwarf accretion-induced collapse have long been proposed as central engines of gamma-ray…
Surfaces of planetary bodies can have strong electric fields, subjecting conductive grains to repulsive electrostatic forces. This has been proposed as mechanism to eject grains from the ground. To quantify this process, we study mm-sized…
Interstellar transport is an object of interest in many sci-fi stories. In history a lot of sci-fi predictions have turned into reality, such as communications satellites, deep-sea submarines and journies to the moon. In this work we study…
Observations suggest that relativistic particles play a fundamental role in the dynamics of jets emerging from active galactic nuclei as well as in their interaction with the intracluster medium. However, no general consensus exists…
Small-satellites and CubeSats offer a low-cost pathway to access Low Earth Orbit at altitudes of 450 km and lower thanks to miniaturization and advancement in reliability of commercial electronics. However, at these low altitudes,…
A method and facilities for delivering payload and people into outer space are presented. This method uses, in general, engines located on a planetary surface. The installation consists of a space apparatus, power drive stations, which…
A rotating star with a monopole (or split monopole) magnetic field gives the simplest, prototype model of a rotationally driven stellar wind. Winds from compact objects, in particular neutron stars, carry strong magnetic fields with modest…
In this paper, we investigate the acceleration in relativistic jets of high-energy proton preaccelerated in the magnetosphere of a supermassive black hole. The proton reaches maximum energy when passing the total potential difference of $U$…
By conducting three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamical simulations we find that jets that a main sequence companion launches as it orbits inside the wind acceleration zone of an asymptotic giant branch (AGB) star can efficiently remove mass…
The classic accepted view of the heliosphere is a quiescent, comet-like shape aligned in the direction of the Sun's travel through the interstellar medium (ISM) extending for 1000's of AUs (AU: astronomical unit). Here we show, based on…
Aims. Relativistic jets launched from active galactic nuclei accelerate up to highly relativistic velocities within a few parsecs to tens of parsecs. The precise way in which this process takes place is still under study. While magnetic…
Pickup ions are created when interstellar neutral atoms resonantly exchange charge with the solar wind (SW) ions, especially in the supersonic part of the wind, where they carry most of the plasma pressure. Here we present numerical…
This experimental study investigates a new technique to keep a satellite in orbit utilizing electrodynamics. The technique consists of establishing a charge on a satellite such that the body's motion through a planetary magnetic field…
Electric sails are propulsion systems that generate momentum via the deflection of stellar wind particles through electric forces. Here, we investigate the relative merits of electric sails and light sails driven by stellar radiation…