What is it about?
This study examines the impact of strong superconducting magnets on the performance of a compact plasma rocket engine, demonstrating measurable gains in thrust and efficiency. Crucially, the findings identify an optimal magnetic field range, indicating that simply increasing magnetic field strength does not guarantee improved performance.
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Why is it important?
Current electric propulsion technology is largely dominated by thruster types that do not scale efficiently to very high power levels. If we aim to transport larger payloads to the Moon and beyond, we must develop propulsion systems capable of harnessing significantly greater electrical power and efficiently converting it into thrust within a compact thruster envelope. One approach is to revisit concepts explored in the 1960s and evaluate whether modern materials can overcome their historical limitations. Applied-field magnetoplasmadynamic (AF-MPD) thrusters are one such concept. These devices are inherently capable of operating at high power levels, but their practical implementation has long been constrained by the need for strong external magnetic fields, traditionally generated by heavy and inefficient electromagnets. The emergence of high-temperature superconductors offers a promising solution. These materials enable the generation of strong magnetic fields using lighter, more compact, and more efficient magnet systems. However, the impact of high magnetic field strengths on thruster operation is not yet fully understood, and this study aims to address that gap. If strong applied magnetic fields can be shown to reliably enhance thruster performance, they could enable a new class of ambitious scientific missions, expanding the scope of exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.
Perspectives
This work represents the culmination of an eight-year effort to explore whether high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets can play a meaningful role in space propulsion. When this project began, the idea of combining superconductors with electric thrusters was far from mainstream. Superconducting magnets were primarily associated with large fusion experiments and laboratory-scale devices, not compact propulsion systems. Over the years, this project became more than a technical investigation—it became a sustained effort to test whether modern materials could revive and strengthen concepts that had once seemed impractical. With the support of the New Zealand Government, I had the opportunity to pursue this idea from proposal stage through to experimental demonstration. I hope this work encourages others to reconsider the role of superconducting materials in space technologies. Their potential extends far beyond propulsion, reaching into areas such as atmospheric re-entry control and radiation shielding. With advances in these materials, concepts that once seemed impractical may now become feasible. If this study contributes to a broader shift in how we think about integrating superconductors into space systems, then it has achieved something beyond thruster performance metrics alone.
Jakub Glowacki
Victoria University of Wellington
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Thrust and Efficiency Characterization of a Low-Power Applied-Field Magnetoplasmadynamic Thruster With a Superconducting Magnet, January 2025, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA),
DOI: 10.2514/6.2025-2040.
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