This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Hibapress
Scientists from the Rosatom research center in Russia have developed a plasma engine prototype that could send a vessel on the planet Mars in 30 to 60 days.
Unlike conventional rockets which use chemical combustion, this engine uses a magnetic field to speed up loaded particles (electrons and protons) at impressive speeds, up to 100 km/s, against a maximum of 4.5 km/s for current propulsion rockets.
“Currently, a trip to Mars aboard a spacecraft equipped with conventional engines can take almost a year, which represents a significant risk for astronauts given exposure to cosmic radiation. However, plasma engines could reduce the duration of flights to only 30 to 60 days, “said the deputy director of the Rosatom research institute in Troitsk, Alexei Voronov.
“The creation of a prototype is a crucial step in the project, because it shows if the engine is suitable for future + nuclear tugs + in space and if it is possible to reduce the cost of their production,” noted the Expert, quoted in a press release from the Russian atomic energy company Rosatom.
Rosatom’s plasma engine has notable advantages: in addition to its impressive speed, it works with hydrogen, an abundant element in the universe, which could facilitate supplies during long -term missions.
For the moment, the prototype is tested in a room simulating the conditions of space. The objective is to assess its performance before developing a model intended for space flights. If the tests are conclusive, a version ready for a mission could see the light of day by 2030.
The project is part of a global program to advance nuclear science, engineering and technology in Russia, which was born in 2025 as part of the national initiative “new nuclear and energy technologies”.
