Electro-Plasma Propulsion?

[Johnny7oak]

Could there be a hope for reduction of molecule loss for space propulsion?


Edit: Explanation - To avoid the loss of oxygen, water and other precious materials our Planet Earth needs to retain. We should explore, but not destroy our mother planet in the process... in my opinion.

 

[Dryson]

I would have to think that with the recent detection of gravitational waves that new methods of containing molecules to reduce loss to increase propulsion efficiency will change the way engines such as VASIMR and the ION Engine preform.

 

[Johnny7oak]

Early Trek interstellar probe?


here: Blue-print:

 

[sojourner]

I think you're in the wrong subforum.

 

[Dryson]

Early Trek interstellar probe?

Using probes to help tweak engine designs will eventually lead to better engines of the same types used to transport humans.

 

[Silvercrest]

Using probes to help tweak engine designs will eventually lead to better engines of the same types used to transport humans.

Do you mean internal-combustion engines, or do you mean jet engines? Or perhaps electric motors. Those are what's currently used to transport humans. Which one will be improved by electro-plasma propulsion?

 

[Johnny7oak]

Maybe all transportation other than recreational, exercise or physical self transportation? Where older methods would continue. Yet, I don't see electro-plasma as the power source primarily, but rather the movement. I do recall electro-plasma was feeded by Trek Anti-matter engines... or possibly Fusion engines before that. Anti-matter warp engines generated ionized gas(plasma). I think Fusion power was used by expending heat to ionize the gas, and coincidently also probably used the same fuel source(molecule not phase state). Fision reactors could do some work, if you drove them across a motor to generate the current and also utilize the heat generated... I do not know if a Fision reactor would provide enough power... if it does, you'd be using it to feed a contained electrolysis.

Fision takes a bit of water... but if the electrolysis occurs, you maybe could use that water... didn't they come up with an anlysis that radioactivity of the fission would kill everyone on board by the time they got to Jupiter? You might need a containment.

else: the crew is experiencing Spock's Kobimashimaru