How do plasma jet engines work?

A plasma jet engine, also known as a plasma accelerator or plasma thruster, is a type of propulsion system that uses the energy stored in plasma to generate thrust. Plasma is a hot, ionized gas that can be created by heating a gas or by applying an electric field. In a plasma jet engine, plasma is generated by an electrical discharge and then expelled through a nozzle to create thrust.

Plasma jet engines are still in the early stages of development, but they have the potential to be much more efficient than conventional rocket engines. This is because plasma jet engines can operate at much higher temperatures than rocket engines, which means that they can convert more of the energy stored in the fuel into thrust. Additionally, plasma jet engines can use a wider variety of fuels, including hydrogen, methane, and even water.

There are two main types of plasma jet engines: thermal and non-thermal. Thermal plasma jet engines use an electrical discharge to heat a gas to a very high temperature, creating a plasma. The hot plasma is then expanded through a nozzle to create thrust. Non-thermal plasma jet engines use an electrical discharge to create a plasma at a lower temperature, and then accelerate the plasma using an electromagnetic field.

Plasma jet engines are still under development, but they have the potential to revolutionize space travel. They could enable spacecraft to travel faster, farther, and more cheaply than ever before.