Under this approach, hydrogen is used as fuel, and the engine accelerates charged particles – electrons and protons – to a speed of 100 km/s (62 miles/s).
“In traditional power units, the maximum velocity of matter flow is about 4.5 km/s, which is due to the conditions of fuel combustion. In contrast, in our engine, the working body is charged particles that are accelerated by an electromagnetic field,” said Alexei Voronov, first deputy general director for science at the Troitsk Institute, as reported by Izvestia.
A faster journey to Mars would not only increase efficiency but also minimize the risks associated with prolonged exposure to cosmic radiation for astronauts.
A laboratory prototype of the engine has already been developed at Rosatom’s Troitsk Institute.