Abstract The propulsion system in a vehicle is to provide thrust (or force) for overcoming the resistance to or the inertia of the motion of a vehicle. In the high vacuum environment of outer space, there is no dissipative resistance, and thrust is required primarily to overcome inertia or potential barrier. A self-contained propulsion system on board the vehicle can produce thrust only through the reaction of the time rate of ejection of momentum from the vehicle $$T=\dot{m}V$$ where T is the reactive thrust (dynes) $$ \dot{m} $$ is the mass efflux rate (gm/sec.), and $$ \dot{m} \overline{V} $$ is the velocity (cm/sec.) of the ejected mass relative to the vehicle. The kinetic energy of the mass ejected in unit time is the jet power, 16-1 $$ {{P}_{j}}=\frac{1}{2}\dot{m}\left( \overline{V}\cdot \overline{V} \right)\gtrsim \frac{{{T}^{2}}}{2\dot{m}} $$ The rate of total energy efflux or the power which the propulsive unit has to supply is necessarily larger than the jet power because the ejected mass must carry with it many different forms of internal energy e, such as ionization, dissociation, etc., that do not contribute to the thrust. The propulsion system must deplete its mass and energy in providing thrust.
An Advanced Space Propulsion Concept
Jet, Rocket, Nuclear, Ion and Electric Propulsion ; 7 ; 621-643
Applied Physics and Engineering ; 7 , 7
1968-01-01
23 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Advanced concept in electric propulsion
NTRS | 1967
|NTRS | 2012
|NTIS | 2012
|NTIS | 1996
|NTRS | 1996
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