That’s fascinating! It seems China is making significant strides in spacecraft propulsion technology by focusing on solar plasma engines, specifically a type called a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster.
Here’s a breakdown of what this entails:

• How it works: Instead of burning traditional fuel or relying solely on electricity or hydrogen, this engine ionizes a gas (like argon or xenon) to create plasma. Electromagnetic fields then accelerate this plasma and expel it at high speed, generating continuous and stable thrust.
• Key advantages:
• Efficiency: Plasma engines are potentially much more fuel-efficient than traditional chemical rockets, which is crucial for long-duration space missions.
• Continuous thrust: Unlike the short bursts of power from chemical rockets, plasma engines offer sustained propulsion.
• Potential for longer and cheaper missions: This technology could pave the way for more ambitious missions, like crewed trips to Mars, with fewer limitations.
• China’s advancements: Researchers at the Xi’an Aerospace Propulsion Institute have developed a prototype MPD thruster that has achieved over 100 kilowatts of power. This is a significant milestone, as previous plasma engines typically operated at much lower power levels.
• Technological innovations: The Chinese team has incorporated high-temperature superconducting magnets and 3D-printed components into the engine’s design. This makes it lighter, more durable, and easier to scale up for future applications.
• Broader implications: This development suggests that China is aggressively pursuing innovative space technologies and could potentially become a leader in the field of space propulsion, possibly even ahead of NASA in certain areas.
  It’s interesting to see different nations exploring various avenues for space travel, with China focusing on plasma while others like the US (with companies like Tesla) are heavily invested in electric propulsion and Japan in hydrogen. This plasma engine represents a bold step towards a new era of space exploration!

A new prospect and new step towards travelling in space

While half the world is still arguing about whether the future lies in electric cars or if hydrogen is the better option, China has decided to skip the debate and look straight to the stars. Literally. They have just unveiled a space engine that runs on plasma, the liquid matter that makes lightning, the northern lights… and the Sun itself, possible. Are they crazy?

Well, this isn’t just any prototype, neither a joke. This engine has already surpassed the 100-kilowatt power mark, something that, in the world of space propulsion, is a huge milestone. So big, in fact, that it could mark the beginning of a new way of travelling through space. And maybe even a new way to generate energy here on Earth.

What is plasma and why is it so special?

Plasma is the fourth state of matter (the other three are solid, liquid, and gas). It forms when you heat a gas so much that its atoms break apart and release charged electrons and ions. It’s electric chaos, yes, but it can be controlled with magnetic fields to generate movement.

On Earth, we see it now and then in the form of lightning or the aurora borealis. But in the universe… It’s everywhere. It’s the most abundant state of matter. The challenge has always been to control it without everything blowing up along the way.

So how does the engine work?

It’s called a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) engine. It doesn’t burn fuel. What it does is ionize a gas (like argon or xenon), turn it into plasma, and then expel it at high speed using electromagnetic fields. The result is continuous thrust, stable and much more efficient than traditional chemical engines.

Until now, these engines typically operated at 10 or 50 kilowatts. The new Chinese model has reached 100!!! But on top of that, it has been built with high-temperature superconducting magnets and 3D-printed components, which makes it lighter, more durable, and easier to scale up.

On Earth, just like in the stars…!

Chemical propulsion (like that of classic rockets) is powerful but short-lived. To travel far in space, you need an engine that doesn’t have to stop to refuel constantly. And that’s where plasma might come in: it can push slowly, but without stopping.

This opens the door to longer missions, cheaper ones, and with fewer limitations. Missions to Mars, for example. Or even further.

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