The Physics of Advanced Rockets for Human Missions to Mars
Dr. Dora Musielak
Physics Department
University of Texas at Arlington
The development of advanced propulsion is a crucial component of human exploration of
space. Human missions to Mars require high specific energy and high exhaust velocity
propulsion systems that are well beyond the reach of current chemical rockets. For this
talk I will give an overview of several propulsion concepts that are being considered for
manned missions to Mars and the Moon. I will review the physics of plasma rockets,
because they offer theoretical energy density that is higher than that available from
conventional chemical systems, and I will discuss magnetic confinement, a process
whereby the highly energetic plasma flow is insulated from the rocket’s material walls
using applied magnetic fields forming the so called magnetic nozzle.