Critical Technology Demonstration Plasma Focus Type MPD Thruster

This project involves a study with a gas-injected plasma focus facility intended to develop the database to design and build an optimized 1-MJ focus. The ultimate objective is to demonstrate the feasibility and attractiveness of this concept for very high specific impulse space propulsion. Studies include scaling experiments with an existing 10-kJ device and construction of a prototype 250-kJ module representing one of four such modules for this 1-MJ facility. The focus concept employs jxB plasma acceleration to generate thrust in a manner similar to the conventional Magneto Plasma Dynamic (MPD) thruster. However, the focus has the added advantage of generating additional thrust from fusion energy released during the pinch phase of the arc rundown. Experiments proposed include studies of electrode dimensional effects, variation of performance with outer electrode flow passage size, and alternate gas injection points. The prototype module will be used to study optimum power generation and transfer to the thruster electrodes. The data will provide a parametric basis for optimizing thrust generation and for the scale-up to larger energy devices. This will enable the design of an optimized 1-MJ facility planned for Phase II of the study.