Jet Castilian
Isn’t magnetoplasmadynamic a cool word? I love saying it: magneto-plasma-dynamic. Magnetoplasmadynamic thrusters, or MPD thrusters as we say, power space orbiters like Chica.
They work by accelerating hydrogen plasma through the rocket by means of a powerful electromagnetic field generated using fusion power. The hydrogen ions shoot out the rocket nozzle at a speed of hundreds of kilometers per second, generating so much thrust per gram of propellant that the tanks did not need to be much larger than my apartment (which isn’t very large!).
Expelled ions are de-ionized by a steady flow of electrons emitted at the tail for that purpose. The exhausted hydrogen gas burns incidentally as it streams into the outside air and combines with oxygen, turning it back into non-polluting water vapor.
The thruster’s mechanical simplicity (it has no moving parts) and tremendous performance (high and variable thrust and high specific impulse) make it far superior to the chemical rockets of history for the function it performs. Still, most passengers have no idea of the marvel of it. They see the faint blue flame at the back and merely assume the rocket “burns hydrogen.” Close enough, I guess. I just like to tell them it’s magnetoplasmadynamic.
DOUG WALKER WRITES 