Re: Directing rocket exhausts?

On 24 Nov 2003 12:02:35 -0800, [EMAIL PROTECTED] (John Schilling)
wrote:

>[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Christopher) writes:
>
>>Liquid propellant rocket engines have the engine on a gimbals frame so
>>servo motors can move the exhaust a few degrees in the X and Y axis so
>>the rocket can be steered.
>
>>Would a plasma rocket engine have a similar mechanical frame work, or
>>as the plasma is electrically conductive and is afected by magnetic
>>fields would you have the enging in a ridgid frame work and have a
>>circular ring of electromagnetic nozzle elements or a ring of magnetic
>>panels so you can pitch and yaw the plasma stream for a turning force
>>for direction like the gimbals on a liquid propelled rocket does?
>
>
>Existing plasma thrusters use mechanical gimbals, because they get the
>job done in a very well understood manner.  Magnetic thrust vectoring
>is not out of the question, and is appealing on several grounds - not
>the least of which is that anything that gets rid of unnecessary moving
>parts is a Good Thing.
>
>However, plasma dynamics is a Wierd Science, and it's hard to predict
>exactly how a plasma exhaust will respond to some arbitrary, asymmetric
>magnetic field.  Also hard to test on the ground, because the walls of
>your test chamber interfere with both the plasma exhaust and the applied
>magnetic field.
>
>So this is a long-term thing, for people with a lot of experience operating
>plasma thrusters in space and trying to optimize Nth-generation designs.
>The Russians have been flying plasma thrusters for thirty years, and are
>still using mechanical gimbals.

Thanks for that, and the other replys.   Nice to know my idea was on
the right track for directional ability with a plasma rocket engine(s)
in space-and in an atmosphere if the plasma engine is as powerful as a
jet engine is today.



Christopher
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Kites rise highest against 
the wind - not with it."
           Winston  Churchill