Pulsed inductive thruster

A bank of capacitors releases a pulse of high voltage electric current of tens of kilovolts lasting 10 microseconds into the coil, generating a radial magnetic field.

This induces a circular electrical field in the gas, ionizing it and causing charged particles (free electrons and ions) to revolve in the opposite direction as the original pulse of current.

Because the motion of this induced current flow is perpendicular to the magnetic field, the plasma is accelerated out into space by the Lorentz force at a high exhaust velocity (10 to 100 km/s).

[2] The PIT has obtained relatively high performance in the laboratory environment, but it still requires additional advancements in switching technology and energy storage before becoming practical for high-power in-space applications, with the need for a nuclear-based onboard power source.

FARAD, which stands for Faraday accelerator with radio-frequency assisted discharge, is a lower-power alternative to the PIT that has the potential for space operation using current technologies.

Cross-section diagram of a pulsed inductive thruster. [1] The gas is puffed inward through a central nozzle, towards the flat electromagnetic coil where it is ionized. [2] The plasma (pink) is then accelerated to the rear by the Lorentz force.