Related papers: Electrostatic AB-Ramjet Space Propulsion
This paper studies acceleration processes of background thermal electrons in X-ray binary jets via turbulent stochastic interactions and shock collisions. By considering turbulent magnetized jets mixed with fluctuation magnetic fields and…
A concept for forced reentry of small orbital debris with characteristic dimension ~ 10 cm from the highly populated sun synchronous orbit by injecting micron scale dust grains to artificially enhance drag is discussed. The drag enhancement…
We investigate the non-linear interaction of a strong Gravitational Wave with the plasma during the collapse of a massive magnetized star to form a black hole, or during the merging of neutron star binaries (central engine). We found that…
The kinetic effects of magnetic fields on the transport of relativistic jet in the intergalactic medium remain uncertain, especially for their perpendicular component. By particle-in-cell simulations, we find that when only jet electrons…
Recent progress towards the non-fission ignition of thermonuclear micro-explosions raises the prospect for a revival of the nuclear bomb propulsion idea, both for the fast transport of large payloads within the solar system and the launch…
Measurements conducted with the ASPERA-4 instrument and the magnetometer of the Venus Express spacecraft show that the dynamic pressure of planetary O+ ion fluxes measured in the Venus wake can be significantly larger than the local…
NASA has been considering a solar sail that would accelerate a craft to a high velocity (~ 14 AU/yr) by the time it reached 5 AU. Then the sail would be dropped and the craft would coast alone to deep space. We propose that the sail be…
The Gravity Assisted Maneuver has been applied in lots of space missions, to change the spacecraft heliocentric velocity vector and the geometry of the orbit, after the close approach to a celestial body, saving propellant consumption. It…
The acceleration of interstellar pick-up ions as well as solar wind species has been observed at a multitude of interplanetary (IP) shocks by different spacecraft. The efficiency of injection of the pick-up ion component differs from that…
Galaxies with intense star formation often host multiphase, galaxy-scale winds powered by supernovae and fast stellar winds. These are strong enough to disrupt the star-forming interstellar medium, and they chemically enrich the surrounding…
A new concept for generation of thrust for space propulsion is introduced. Energetic thrust is generated in the form of plasmoids (confined plasma in closed magnetic loops) when magnetic helicity (linked magnetic field lines) is injected…
The high-speed solar wind is typically the simplest and least stochastic type of large-scale plasma flow in the heliosphere. For much of the solar cycle, it is connected magnetically to large polar coronal holes on the Sun's surface.…
The power of blazar jets rivals the power that gravity can extract from accreting matter. The mechanism launching and accelerating jets can be considered as the most efficient engine operating in radio--loud sources. It is still a matter of…
Previously we presented a numerical model that predicts trajectories of lunar dust, soil, and gravel blown by the engine exhaust of a lunar lander. The model uses the gas density, velocity vector field, and temperature predicted by…
We investigate broad-band emission from supernova ejecta powered by a relativistic wind from a central compact object. A recent two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulation studying the dynamical evolution of supernova ejecta with a central…
The solar photon pressure provides a viable source of thrust for spacecraft in the solar system. Theoretically it could also enable interstellar missions, but an extremely small mass per cross section area is required to overcome the solar…
A hyper-accreting stellar-mass black hole has been long speculated as the best candidate of central engine of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). Recent rich observations of GRBs by space missions such as Swift and Fermi pose new constraints on GRB…
Strong interactions between jets and stellar winds at binary system spatial scales could occur in high-mass microquasars. We study here, mainly from a dynamical but also a radiative point of view, the collision between a dense stellar wind…
High-altitude balloon experiments are becoming very popular among universities and research institutes as they can be used for testing instruments eventually intended for space, and for simple astronomical observations of Solar System…
Performing orbital insertion around Mars using aerocapture instead of a propulsive orbit insertion manoeuvre allows to save resources and/or increase the payload mass fraction. Aerocapture has never been employed to date because of the high…