Editing Ion thruster (section)

=== Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster ===
{{main|Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster}}

[[Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster|Magnetoplasmadynamic]] (MPD) thrusters and [[lithium Lorentz force accelerator]] (LiLFA) thrusters use roughly the same idea. The LiLFA thruster builds on the MPD thruster. [[Hydrogen]], [[argon]], [[ammonia]] and [[nitrogen]] can be used as propellant. In a certain configuration, the ambient gas in [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO) can be used as a propellant. The gas enters the main chamber where it is ionized into [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]] by the electric field between the [[anode]] and the [[cathode]]. This plasma then conducts electricity between the anode and the cathode, closing the circuit. This new current creates a magnetic field around the cathode, which crosses with the electric field, thereby accelerating the plasma due to the Lorentz force.

The LiLFA thruster uses the same general idea as the MPD thruster, though with two main differences. First, the LiLFA uses lithium vapor, which can be stored as a solid. The other difference is that the single cathode is replaced by multiple, smaller cathode rods packed into a [[Hollow cathode effect|hollow cathode]] tube. MPD cathodes are easily corroded due to constant contact with the plasma. In the LiLFA thruster, the lithium vapor is injected into the hollow cathode and is not ionized to its plasma form/corrode the cathode rods until it exits the tube. The plasma is then accelerated using the same [[Lorentz force]].<ref name="Sankaran">{{cite journal|url=https://massless.info/images/sankaran-icnta-2003.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010091830/https://massless.info/images/sankaran-icnta-2003.pdf |archive-date=2022-10-10 |url-status=live|title=A Survey of Propulsion Options for Cargo and Piloted Missions to Mars|access-date=2016-10-18|first1=K. |last1=Sankaran|first2=L.|last2=Cassady|first3=A.D.|last3=Kodys|first4=E.Y.|last4=Choueiri|journal=Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences|year=2004|volume=1017|issue=1|pages=450–467|doi=10.1196/annals.1311.027 |pmid=15220162|bibcode=2004NYASA1017..450S|s2cid=1405279}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2001/CR-2001-211114.pdf|title=High Power MPD Thruster Development at the NASA Glenn Research Center|access-date=2007-11-21|first1=Michael R.|last1=LaPointe|first2=Pavlos G.|last2=Mikellides|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061011063710/http://gltrs.grc.nasa.gov/reports/2001/CR-2001-211114.pdf |archive-date=October 11, 2006}} {{PD-notice}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/31061/33887503.pdf?sequence=1|title=Utilization of Ambient Gas as a Propellant for Low Earth Orbit Electric Propulsion|date=May 22, 1999|first=Buford Ray|last=Conley|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629174257/http://dspace.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.1/31061/33887503.pdf?sequence=1|archive-date=June 29, 2011}}</ref>

In 2013, Russian company the [[Chemical Automatics Design Bureau]] successfully conducted a bench test of their MPD engine for long-distance space travel.<ref>{{cite web |date=17 December 2013 |title="В Воронеже создали двигатель для Марса" в блоге "Перспективные разработки, НИОКРы, изобретения" - Сделано у нас |url=http://sdelanounas.ru/blogs/44948 |publisher=Сделано у нас |language=ru}}</ref>