Abstract
High-capacity cargo logistics to Mars necessitate high-thrust, high-specific-impulse electric propulsion systems capable of operating efficiently over extended transit durations. Applied-Field Magnetoplasmadynamic (AF-MPD) thrusters offer unmatched thrust densities but historically suffer from severe ohmic power dissipation in non-superconducting electromagnet coils, drastically reducing total system efficiency. This study presents a numerical and experimental evaluation of an optimized megawatt-class AF-MPD thruster utilizing Rare-Earth Barium Copper Oxide (REBCO) high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coils designed for Martian cargo transfers. By generating steady-state applied magnetic field strengths exceeding 2.5 T with sub-100 W cryogenic cooling overhead, the HTS-augmented thruster minimizes plasma plume divergence and electrode erosion while maximizing Hall acceleration and magnetic nozzle effects. Operating on argon and hydrogen propellants across discharge currents ranging from 1.5 to 4.0 kA, the system achieved a maximum total thrust efficiency of 62.4% at a specific impulse of 4,850 s. Comparative trajectory and mission architecture simulations demonstrate that integrating HTS-MPD propulsion into a 20-metric-ton Martian payload delivery architecture reduces total propellant mass fraction by 34% and shortens transit times by 42 days compared to state-of-the-art Hall thruster arrays. These findings validate HTS-driven AF-MPD systems as a game-changing propulsion technology for heavy-payload interplanetary transport.
