The radiation belts are a significant hazard to spacecraft, from generating single-event computer upsets to degradation of spacecraft surfaces and overall performance. The properties of the radiation belts can vary dramatically under the influence of magnetic storms and storm-time substorms. The… More

The Micro Pulsed Inductive Thruster with Solid Fuel Option (ýýPIT_SF) is a high-precision impulse bit electromagnetic plasma micro-thruster. The ýýPIT prototype is a small (< 230 g) thruster that produces and accelerates plasma. In the solid fuel mode, ýýPIT_SF is able to substantially extend… More

Among current challenges in fusion science is the ability to generate increased power levels at a reasonable cost for pulsed magnets, arc plasma sources, radio frequency (RF) heating, and current drive schemes, using current generation solid state devices. However, power supplies based on… More

Innovative Confinement Concepts (ICC), like the spheromak and the field reversed configuration (FRC), provide an opportunity to study magnetic confinement in geometries other than the tokamak and may provide an alternative path to fusion energy. Many ICCs require a pre-ionizer or plasma injector in… More

The proposed innovation seeks to take advantage of a recently developed highly collimated, high density plasma system which has applications for remote space debris removal. The Azimuthal-Current drive (ACD) Plasma Beam System produces a highly directed, intense plasma beam which can be shown to be… More

A present challenge facing the fusion energy community and particularly the ICC community in its support of the main line tokamak program is the ability to generate increased power levels for pulsed magnets, arc plasma sources, radio frequency heating, and current drive schemes, at reasonable cost.… More

In modern fusion concepts, inductive pickup loops continue to be one of the primary magnetic diagnostics. This is due to their simple construction, ease of use, and durability, especially when compared to other methods of determining magnetic profiles. Inductive pickup loops are capable of extremely… More

Innovative Confinement Concepts (ICC), like the spheromak and the field reversed configuration (FRC), provide an opportunity to study magnetic confinement in geometries other than the tokamak and may provide an alternative path to fusion energy. Many ICCs require a pre-ionizer or plasma injector in… More

In modern fusion concepts, inductive pickup loops continue to be one of the primary magnetic diagnostics. To convert the direct voltage measurements from the inductive pickup loop to a measurement of magnetic field, the loop voltage must be integrated. In practice… More