Preliminary investigation of power flow and performance phenomena in a multimegawatt coaxial plasma thruster

Preliminary experimental and theoretical research that was directed toward the study of quasi-steady-state power flow in a large, unoptimized, multimegawatt coaxial plasma thruster is summarized. Large coaxial thruster operation is discussed, and the experimental results are evaluated and interpreted with a view to the development of efficient, steady-state, megawatt-class magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters.<
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