Russian scientists are in the process of developing a prototype of a plasma rocket engine that will allow human travel between planets and open up visits to Mars, Russian daily {Izvestia reports on Feb. 8. The prototype engine, created on the basis of a magnetic-plasma accelerator, demonstrates impressive characteristics: a thrust of at least 6N and a specific impulse of at least 100 km/s. Unlike traditional chemical engines, the plasma version allows spacecraft to reach higher speeds.
According to Alexey Voronov, Deputy Director General of Rosatom, the use of such engines can reduce the flight time to Mars to 30-60 days, which will significantly reduce the risks associated with astronauts’ long stay in space.
“We still take off from the surface using chemical engines, but in space we no longer carry the fuel that is needed to accelerate our system, but we carry a small amount of gas in a cylinder and accelerate the system with this gas,” said Yegor Biryulin, a junior research fellow at the Rosatom facility building the engine.
