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Plasma Liner Research for MTF at NASA Marshall Space Flight CenterThe current research effort at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in MTF is directed towards exploring the critical physics issues of potential embodiments of MTF for propulsion, especially standoff drivers involving plasma liners for MTF. There are several possible approaches for forming plasma liners. One approach consists of using a spherical array of plasma jets to form a spherical plasma shell imploding towards the center of a magnetized plasma, a compact toroid. Current experimental plan and status to explore the physics of forming a 2-D plasma liner (shell) by merging plasma jets are described. A first-generation coaxial plasma guns (Mark-1) to launch the required plasma jets have been built and tested. Plasma jets have been launched reproducibly with a low jitter, and velocities in excess of 50 km/s for the leading edge of the plasma jet. Some further refinements are being explored for the plasma gun, Successful completion of these single-gun tests will be followed by an experimental exploration of the problems of launching a multiple number of these jets simultaneously to form a cylindrical plasma liner.
Document ID
20020049828
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Thio, Y. C. F.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Eskridge, R.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Lee, M.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Martin, A.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Smith, J.
(NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Huntsville, AL United States)
Cassibry, J. T.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Wu, S. T.
(Alabama Univ. Huntsville, AL United States)
Kirkpatrick, R. C.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM United States)
Knapp, C. E.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM United States)
Turchi, P. J.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM United States)
Rodgers, Stephen L.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 2002
Subject Category
Spacecraft Propulsion And Power
Meeting Information
Meeting: DOE Innovative Confinement Concepts
Location: College Park, MD
Country: United States
Start Date: January 22, 2002
End Date: January 24, 2002
Sponsors: Department of Energy
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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