Scientists have fantasized about transporting humans to Mars for decades, but there was always one key obstacle in their way—time. Currently, it takes a spacecraft nearly a year to arrive at the Red Planet. Russian scientists at Rosatom, however, might have discovered a solution that could turn the game around. They developed a unique plasma engine that has the potential to cut the journey time to between 30 to 60 days.

This groundbreaking engine was created by researchers at Rosatom's Troitsk Institute. It employs a magnetoplasma system, accelerating particles to a whopping 100 kilometers per second. Rather than using conventional fuel combustion like rockets do today, the plasma engine utilizes electric power and hydrogen to produce thrust.

Egor Biriulin, a junior researcher at Rosatom, clarified, “A plasma rocket engine is a type of electric propulsion system. It operates using two electrodes, between which charged particles pass while a high voltage is applied. This process generates a magnetic field that propels the particles out of the engine, creating directed motion and producing thrust.”

The energy for this engine will be provided by a nuclear reactor within the spacecraft. Hydrogen, the lightest and most common element in the universe, is an ideal fuel choice. One of the thrilling possibilities is that astronauts in the future could potentially harvest hydrogen from space rather than bringing huge fuel tanks from Earth, facilitating long-distance space travel.

Alexei Voronov, another project expert, said that conventional rocket engines consume fuel in a manner that reduces their speed to about 4.5 km per second. However, the new plasma engine accelerates charged particles via an electromagnetic field, enabling the spacecraft to move significantly faster. That implies that astronauts could travel to Mars in a fraction of today's time. 

When will this engine be ready?

The initial prototype of the engine already exists and is currently being tested on the ground. As noted by Konstantin Gutorov, the scientific adviser of the project,  “A prototype engine has now been prepared. It is intended for ground testing and development of various engine operating modes. According to the plan, the flight model of the unit will appear in 2030. The engine operates in pulse-periodic mode. Its power is about 300 kW. Earlier, the engine resource of more than 2400 h was justified, which is enough for a transportation operation to Mars. The main goal of the project is to demonstrate the operation of the prototype in pulse-periodic mode.”

Competition from other countries

While Russia is currently at the forefront of this innovation, they are not alone in their pursuit of plasma engines. Italyand the European Union are doing their best to create similar technology to ensure that space travel becomes faster and more efficient.

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