Helicon plasma propulsion is emerging as a promising branch of electric space propulsion, employing helicon waves to generate high‐density plasmas which are then accelerated through a magnetic nozzle.

The big picture: In deep-space travel, the race is no longer about who has the biggest rocket – it's about who can build the smartest plasma engine. As the competition to reach Mars intensifies, ...

Long before any spacecraft can attempt a faster journey to Mars, scientists must first solve one of space exploration’s biggest challenges: propulsion. Chemical rockets, used to launch spacecraft into ...