Plasma propulsion systems and associated systems and methods

A system for generating thrust for a vehicle in a plasma, the system comprising:

• a plurality of coil sets, the plurality of coil sets including:
• a first drive coil set positioned along a force axis, the first drive coil set comprising one or more first drive coils extending away from the force axis to a first maximum distance from the force axis along a direction perpendicular to the force axis;
• a second drive coil set positioned along the force axis and spaced apart from the first drive coil set, the second drive coil set comprising one or more second drive coils extending away from the force axis to a second maximum distance from the force axis along the direction perpendicular to the force axis;
• and a controller operatively coupled to the plurality of coil sets and configured to:
• (a) increase energy to the first drive coil set to generate a magnetic field in a portion of the plasma adjacent to and external to the first drive coil set, wherein the magnetic field extends away from the force axis by a distance greater than the first maximum distance;
• (b) decrease energy to the first drive coil set and increase energy to the second drive coil set to translate a resulting superposed magnetic field through the plasma to a position adjacent to and external to the second drive coil set, wherein translating the resulting superposed magnetic field moves ions in the plasma along the force axis to thereby generate a force along the force axis;
• (c) decrease energy to the second drive coil set to reduce the magnetic field in the plasma;
• then
• (d) repeat (a) through (c);
• wherein a majority of the ions moved in the plasma by the system during (b) are spaced apart from the force axis along the axis that is perpendicular to the force axis by a distance greater than the first maximum distance and greater than the second maximum distance.