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Advanced Space Rocket Engineering Lab
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A lab that builds engines powered by plasma to travel through space.
AboutAbout the lab
Traveling through space on the power of plasma.
The Advanced Space Rocket Engineering Lab studies next-generation space propulsion, including electric propulsion devices for satellites and fusion rockets for crewed interplanetary travel.
Its subjects range from palm-sized ion engines for small satellites to fusion rocket engines for crewed interplanetary travel.
To understand the physical phenomena involved in plasma, the lab pursues two complementary approaches: experiments that measure plasma density and temperature using cavity ring-down spectroscopy and Thomson scattering, and numerical analysis that solves electrons and ions from first principles.
The lab also carries out laser astrophysics experiments, which use high-intensity lasers to reproduce astrophysical plasma phenomena on Earth.
Key terms
- Ion engine
- A space engine that turns propellant into ions, accelerates them with electric force, and moves forward by expelling them.
- Electric propulsion
- A method that, instead of burning fuel, moves forward by expelling plasma generated with electrical energy.
- Specific impulse
- A measure of fuel efficiency that shows how long thrust can be produced from the same amount of propellant.
NewsLab news
Results of laser astrophysics experiments by Associate Professor Morita and colleagues published in Physical Review E
Paper by PhD students and others published in Vacuum
Article related to Associate Professor Morita's research featured in a mini-special issue of the Journal of Plasma and Fusion Research
ResearchResearch themes
The lab studies next-generation space propulsion engines that use plasma, through both experiments and numerical analysis. Its work extends to developing diagnostic techniques for measuring the plasma inside engines and to fundamental research that reproduces astronomical phenomena on the ground with high-intensity lasers.
*Illustrative imageRockets Powered by Nuclear Fusion
In a laser fusion rocket, a magnetic nozzle converts the thermal energy of the high-energy plasma produced by fusion reactions into kinetic energy. This approach can achieve high specific impulse, large thrust, and long lifetime at the same time, which is impossible with conventional thrusters. The lab is demonstrating the principle through numerical analysis and experiments.
*Illustrative imageElectric Propulsion for Satellites
Electric propulsion is plasma propulsion that uses electrostatic or electromagnetic forces powered by electrical energy from sources such as solar cells, rather than chemical reactions, and it can raise specific impulse by more than an order of magnitude. Because it greatly reduces the amount of propellant needed, the lab focuses on developing thrusters that can be mounted on small satellites.
*Illustrative imageMeasuring the Plasma Inside Engines
To understand the inside of a rocket engine, it is essential to measure the state of the plasma within it. The lab develops diagnostic techniques that measure atomic density with lasers and measure the temperature, density, and velocity of ions and electrons, and also applies them to understanding fireballs, a phenomenon involving atmospheric-pressure plasma.
*Illustrative imageRecreating Cosmic Phenomena in the Laboratory
When a kilojoule-class high-intensity laser is focused on a solid, extremely fast plasma flows are generated. By making these flows interact, the lab creates conditions in the laboratory similar to supernova remnant shock waves and magnetic reconnection in solar flares, deepening the understanding of high-energy phenomena in the universe.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Advanced Space Rocket Engineering Lab consist of faculty, secretaries, PhD, master's, and undergraduate students, and exchange students.
- ProfessorNaoji Yamamoto
- Associate ProfessorTaichi Morita
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Milky way in Elbrus” oliwok / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Rockets Powered by Nuclear Fusion: “Multicolored aurora borealis pillar over Brastad” W.carter / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Electric Propulsion for Satellites: “Flame from the burner of a gas stove” BogTar201213 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Measuring the Plasma Inside Engines: “Dispersion of White Light Through a Prism” Aligatorigiganti / CC0 (cropped)
- Recreating Cosmic Phenomena in the Laboratory: “Crab Nebula” NASA, ESA, J. Hester and A. Loll (Arizona State University) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (宇宙流体環境学研究室): “Mars Disappearing Solar Wind- MAVEN Visualizations (SVS5200 - maven solar wind close 19470 print)” NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio - USRA/Kel Elkins, NASA/GSFC/Greg Shirah, KBR Wyle Services, LLC/Dan Gallagher, University of Colorado Boulder/Willow Reed, University of Iowa/Jasper Halekas, University of Colorado Boulder/Skylar Shaver, University of California, Berkeley/Abigail Azari, UCLA/Yingjuan Ma, University of California, Berkeley/Shannon Curry, NASA/GSFC/Nancy Neal-Jones / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (シミュレーションプラズマ物理学研究室): “Nuclear Physicists Wield HPC to Uncover Magic Isotopes” OLCF / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (核融合プラズマ物性制御工学研究室): “Soldering practice object for tokamak construction, in park of Tsukuba Expo Center” Syced / CC0 (cropped)
- Related lab (先進核融合情報制御理工学): “Experimental hall of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator at IPP Greifswald 05” Siarhei Besarab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
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