"Designer Unveils Revolutionary Air-Thrust Engine Technology"
Scientists at George Washington University and Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory are developing air-breathing plasma engines (APEBs) to power satellites in very low Earth orbit using air as a fuel source, potentially reducing launch costs and preventing space debris. Anmol Taploo, a PhD student at GWU, explains the concept and benefits of APEBs, including high-quality imaging, disaster management, military defense, communications, and space debris prevention. The goal of the DARPA Charge Harmony project is to achieve a thrust-to-drag ratio greater than one, and the technology could potentially be used for spacecraft orbiting other planets within the next five years.