Electrothermal Thrusters
Electrothermal thrusters are a type of spacecraft propulsion system that use electrical energy to heat a propellant, which is then expelled out of a nozzle to generate thrust. The propellant can be a gas, such as xenon, or a liquid, such as water. The electrical energy is typically provided by solar panels or a nuclear reactor. The heating of the propellant can be achieved through various methods, such as resistive heating, arc heating, or radiofrequency heating. Electrothermal thrusters are commonly used in long-duration missions, such as deep space exploration, due to their high specific impulse and efficiency.
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