MHD Space Sailing

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) space sailing as an alternative propulsion method for interplanetary travel, supported by simulation results indicating promising interactions between solar wind and conducting rings.

Contribution

The authors conducted MHD simulations demonstrating the feasibility of space sailing using solar wind interactions, encouraging further research into practical applications.

Findings

Simulation results align with Monte Carlo calculations.

Interactions between solar wind and conducting rings are promising.

Further studies are recommended for practical implementation.

Abstract

The rocket technology dates back as far as medieval China. Used initially for entertainment and religious practices over time rockets evolved into weapons and finally into means of transportation. Today, we are nearing the top of the rockets' capabilities. Although, for now they are the only way for us to send anything into space we are becoming more and more aware of the limitations of this technology. It is essential that we invent other means of propelling probes and other interplanetary vehicles through space. The authors had performed a series of magnetohydrodynamic simulations using the University of Chicago's Flash package to find out whether the interactions between the Solar Wind and the conducting ring with the electric current would occur. The MHD simulations gave the results similar to the monte-carlo calculations performed by dr Charles Danforth [1] from the University of Colorado. It is the authors' conclusion that the promising results should encourage further study of the phenomenon and the possibility of using it in practice.