Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster

[giger]

I think it is possible to use Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster for launching satellites instead of liquid or solid rockets ?!

MPDT makes 200N thrust an array of for example 5 MPDTs can make 1kN thrust i guess it's enough for an small satellite and what is important is these engines can carry cheaper and safer their Acceleration is about zero and doesn't damage weak parts of satellite ,I know liquid rocket's playload is in tonnes but they carry almost always more than one satellite and they are expensive hard to repair these MPD engines are easy to repair and they work thousands hours without repair .

 

[C130]

i don't think so.
the liquid/solid rockets get the satellites in orbit, but I think you can add MPDT to the satellites as thrusters to keep them in orbit or something.

 

[applesauce]

seriously. no

you would need to carry a full size nuclear power plant with you, which... weighs a lot.... meaning you need more power for more thrust, which means more nuclear power plants,which means more power. so on and so forth.


they are handy once you are already in space though.

 

[giger]

what about thermionic reactors 400 kg I guess ? or thorium battery less than 100 kg
with high voltage about 1 million every engine can make more thrust . I am not sure it is possible but it worth to try

 

[applesauce]

what about thermionic reactors 400 kg I guess ? or thorium battery less than 100 kg
with high voltage about 1 million every engine can make more thrust . I am not sure it is possible but it worth to try

no, not enough power

RTG's provide only hundreds to thousands of watts in a spacecraft

Thorium plasma batteries dont even exist