Introduction:

The world is changing and so are we (well, basically it's the vice versa), and so are our technologies. But as we advance, we become more and more thirsty and curious to discover or invent newer and easier technologies, keeping in mind to maintain or lower the budget and control pollution too. Nowadays, spacecrafts are mostly propelled by chemical propulsion systems, but they cause a lot of pollution. Though there are highly efficient electronic propulsion systems such as ion propulsion, they too have drawbacks such as they need an RTG to leave the Earth’s atmosphere and have a limited fuel source once in space (in fact, that’s a problem in all propulsion systems, until it is given a huge volume to reside, which makes the spacecraft heavy, causing the same amount of energy loss). Again, as it is heavy, it can’t be carried by an air balloon of course, however large it might be. As a result, we have to use large rockets to carry such small satellites or rovers. Furthermore, large disposed constituent materials of a rocket in empty space are creating space junk, causing the risk of their falling towards the Earth at any time. This causes a threat to existence of life as the present living beings on Earth have little chance to survive such a catastrophe. The history of spacecraft propulsion can be traced back to 1926, when Robert Goddard launched the world’s first rocket on 16th march, fueled by chemical liquid [1].  Since then, many propulsion systems have emerged: plasma propulsion, magneto-plasma-dynamic propulsion, electrodeless plasma propulsion, pulsed inductive propulsion, pulsed plasma propulsion, VASIMR propulsion, vacuum arc propulsion, ion propulsion and many more [2]. But the one we are still working on but are unable to achieve is a fully electromagnetic propulsion system, and that is the very one which can rid us of all the problems. Thus, this work presents a hypothetical solution to overcome such problems, with cost efficiency.

Keywords:

Spaceflight, plasma propulsion, magneto-plasma-dynamic propulsion, electrodeless plasma propulsion, pulsed inductive propulsion, pulsed plasma propulsion, VASIMR propulsion, vacuum arc propulsion, ion propulsion, KALAMSAT V-2.

Problem Statement:

Nowadays, spacecrafts are mostly propelled by chemical propulsion systems, but they cause a lot of pollution. Though there are highly efficient electronic propulsion systems such as ion propulsion, they too have drawbacks such as they need an RTG to leave the Earth’s atmosphere and have a limited fuel source once in space (in fact, that’s a problem in all propulsion systems, until it is given a huge volume to reside, which makes the spacecraft heavy, causing the same amount of energy loss). Again, as it is heavy, it can’t be carried by an air balloon of course, however large it might be. As a result, we have to use large rockets to carry such small satellites or rovers. Furthermore, large disposed constituent materials of a rocket in empty space are creating space junk, causing the risk of their falling towards the Earth at any time. This causes a threat to existence of life as the present living beings on Earth have little chance to survive such a catastrophe.

 

Proposed Approach:

Here, I've come up with the idea of the world's smallest rocket, driven by the means of magnetic spacecraft propulsion. The next lines show how it works.

Magnetic Spacecraft Propulsion:

Electromagnetic spacecraft propulsion has always been one of the biggest dreams of man. We know that an object with less mass will be brought towards an object with more mass in space due to gravity. From this, I've developed a way to achieve magnetic spacecraft propulsion, by using another approach: Hydraulic Mass Inversion system or HMI.

HMI System: HMI contains Mercury (as it is the heaviest liquid at normal temperature). If we keep a magnet and an electromagnet with continuously changing poles and the HMI working between them at the same pace as them, then it can travel in empty space. But for that, we need an A.C. source, and that means large space. That's where S.A.C takes charge.

Slowly Alternating Current (SAC): It is neither AC current, nor DC, but a mixture of both, i.e. Slowly Alternating Current or SAC, which is one of my own hypothetical inventions. It is converted from DC current but works like AC current, though a bit slow. It takes a very minute space and serves the purpose too, though it's a little slower than A.C., but that doesn't matter.

Furthermore, as it is lightweight and very small, it can be carried as far up as possible by a large donut shaped continuously heating helium balloon with direction control, from where it will be shot out from a coil gun into empty space. As a result, it requires no space for fuel, as it isn’t needed. It can carry small satellites such as the KALAMSAT V-2, or serve as a satellite itself. Now I’ll describe how the system works. First of all, the continuously heating donut shaped large helium balloon will take the system up to the exosphere, or as high up as possible. After that, when the system reaches the top, the coil gun fixed with the balloon and containing the main rocket module will shoot out the rocket into space, which starts functioning instantly. Now, we know that a coil gun produces very less backward reaction force. So, when the rocket is launched, it will be shot forward easily. Now, when the rocket is turned on, the magnet and the electromagnet will attract, repel and repeat at a very fast pace, while the HMI will cause the masses of the 2 parts to keep interchanging at the same pace, and as a result, the spacecraft will move forward. The direction can be changed at the neck joint.

Hypothetical Result:

Though I haven’t performed any experiment on the model, I have no doubt that it’ll work, because I’ve drawn the structure as would be needed for it to work and gone through it to make sure that this is the one that’ll work. First of all, the continuously heating donut shaped large helium balloon will take the system up to the exosphere, or as high up as possible. After that, when the system reaches the top, the coil gun fixed with the balloon and containing the main rocket module will shoot out the rocket into space, which starts functioning instantly. Now, we know that a coil gun produces very less backward reaction force. So, when the rocket is launched, it will be shot forward easily. Now, when the rocket is turned on, the magnet and the electromagnet will attract, repel and repeat at a very fast pace, while the HMI will cause the masses of the 2 parts to keep interchanging at the same pace, and as a result, the spacecraft will move forward. The direction can be changed at the neck joint. 

 

Conclusion:

From the discussions I can say that this invention of mine can revolutionize the fields of both spacecraft propulsion and electricity (for SAC). This will do lots of things such as cutting budgets to an incomparable height, decreasing pollution, space junk etc. and many more problems to a great extent. And obviously, it’ll be a milestone for human civilization.

 

References

 

[1]	Wikipedia, "Wikipedia," 18 May 2021. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rockets. [Accessed 29 May 2021].
[2]	Wikipedia, "Wikipedia," 27 April 2021. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spacecraft_propulsion. [Accessed 21 May 2021].

 

Annexure:

SAC – Slowly Alternating Current

HMI – Hydraulic Mass Inversion (system)

Donut shaped continuously heating large helium balloon