A new spacecraft engine powered by in-situ propellants that provides enhanced in-space maneuverability and greater payload capacity, is being developed by Diversified Technologies, Inc. (DTI).
The Atmosphere-Refueling Magnetic Induction Plasma Engine (AR-MIPE) provides high thrust at specific impulse without the need for electrodes, vastly extending thruster life and permitting the use of low cost, in-situ propellants. The 100 kW, electrodeless, inductive thruster which ionizes propellant and accelerates electrons and ions to great velocities is a significant paradigm shift in propulsion technology for space travel as it eliminates the need to carry heavy fuel payloads from Earth.
Very efficiently converting energy into thrust that can move a spacecraft in tiny increments for extended periods of time, the basic geometry of the AR-MIPE is a tubular linear induction motor with phased coil-excitation. By employing an electrodeless inductive thruster which minimizes plasma-wall interactions and by capturing and storing propellants available throughout the solar system as fuel, the AR-MIPE will be able to support long-term interplanetary exploration missions.
