New method tests magnet-powered braking for safer, more reusable spacecraft reentry
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new system to test magnetohydrodynamic aerobraking for spacecraft reentering the atmosphere.
Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new system to test magnetohydrodynamic aerobraking for spacecraft reentering the atmosphere.
The short version
- Their platform generates intense magnetic fields with a powerful electromagnet as a miniature vessel is hit with a shock wave traveling at over seven kilometers per second (4.3 miles per second).
- The magnets reached far higher fields than previous work with permanent magnets and are a crucial stepping stone toward tests with real vessels in the atmosphere.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
The electromagnet is formed by a customizable set of coils and powered by a pulse-forming network (PFN), which hits it with an intense pulse of current, generating a strong field for a short period of time. To see it at work, the team designed two different models, each with coil configurations specifically tailored to its shape.
Why it matters
They confirmed that fields of 1.24 and 1.58 tesla were created, with the latter more than double the field strength of conventional neodymium magnets.
Summary by Nerd News Network. Read the full article at Phys.org via the links above and below.