Ammonia-based Green Plasma Propulsion System via Gliding-arc Discharge

Finding green propulsion alternatives is an increasingly important avenue of research as we seek to increase our space-faring capabilities. In this work, the initial development of a plasma-driven experimental setup is presented. A proof-of-concept demonstrator has been built and used to evaluate carbon dioxide dissociation. An improved design based on the lessons learned during development is also presented. The long term goal of this project is an ammonia-based propulsion system using gliding-arc plasma discharge to assist in the combustion process. Early experimental and computational are presented and proof-of-concept examples are provided. Initial results are promising as the experimental apparatus was able to maintain a gliding-arc but additional work is required to refine the design for the proposed ammonia-based propulsion system.