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This Defense Intelligence Reference Document from the Defense Intelligence Agency, dated 21 November 2010, was produced in FY 2010 under the Advanced Aerospace Weapons System Applications (AAWSA) Program. It reviews propulsion concepts that use plasmas and magnetohydrodynamics. It finds the Ajax MHD energy bypass concept meaningless below Mach 12 but calls a reverse energy bypass with a Virtual Cowl potentially practical. It also predicts that electric propulsion will become standard for spacecraft.
UNCLASSIFIEDf ;relt 9PPH!ltlrt 1!181!! 8Htlf MHD Air-Breathing Propulsion and Power for Aerospace Applications Summary The paper reviews novel propulsion concepts utilizing plasmas (ionized gases) and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). These concepts are shown to be attractive due to their potential to achieve propulsion and aerodynamic performance far beyond current conventional technologies. However, significant difficulties impede the development and application of these technologies; these include weight, complexity, higher power, and the need for complex and energy-consuming artificial ionization in "cold" air (at Mach <12). A well-publicized Ajax concept of MHD energy bypass has been shown to be meaningless below at least Mach 12. In contrast, a new "reverse energy bypass" with Virtual Cowl is potentially practical for air- breathing hypersonic vehicles. Applications of the Virtual Cowl and other plasma/MHD devices to reentry, global-strike hypersonic gliders, and aeroassisted orbital maneuvering are identified as promising in the near future. The ability of a plasma/MHD system to generate high power onboard and to provide L/D (lift-to-drag ratio) far beyond that possible conventionally makes these applications both feasible and desirable for national defense. However, these applications are also likely to be implemented by nations such as China, Japan, and Russia. The outlook for uses and applications of MHD propulsion could increase dramatically if high-speed (hypersonic) vehicles begin to carry powerful on board electricity sources, such as nuclear (fission or fusion) reactors. For spacecraft, the current trend of replacing chemical rockets with electric propulsion systems will continue and is likely to become the standard. Electric systems can provide a much wider range of operation (e.g., low-thrust fine positioning/pointing, more frequent or nontraditional maneuvers, and longer times on station) than chemical systems can. UNCLASSIFIED//P8R 8PPl@llltt l!l!H! 9HL I iv
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Report, from the dia collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 32 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.