Pulsed-plasma thruster using unbalanced theta-pinch

A pulsed-plasma thruster using an unbalanced theta-pinch, comprising:

• a gas-puff generator, comprising a gas outlet, wherein the gas-puff generator is configured to supply a gas puff in a pulsed manner through the gas outlet;
• an ionization convergent-divergent nozzle, comprising a pair of electrodes, an insulating nozzle, and a capacitor, wherein the insulating nozzle is sandwiched between the pair of electrodes, the insulating nozzle comprises a convergent hole, a throat, and a divergent hole, the convergent hole and the divergent hole are separately arranged on two opposing surfaces of the insulating nozzle and are connected with each other through the throat;
• the convergent hole is attached to the gas outlet of the gas-puff generator;
• and the capacitor is connected across the pair of electrodes and supplies a voltage across the pair of electrodes;
• and
• a pair of accelerating coil sets, arranged on a side of the throat of the ionization convergent-divergent nozzle, and electrically connected to the pair of electrodes, wherein
• when the gas puff enters the ionization convergent-divergent nozzle, an electric arc is generated between the pair of electrodes of the ionization convergent-divergent nozzle so that the gas puff is ionized and forms a plasma plume, and the current through the pair of electrodes further drives the pair of accelerating coil sets to generate the respective axially non-uniform magnetic fields;
• wherein a magnetic field generated by one of the pair of accelerating coil sets that is located on an upstream side of the gas puff or the plasma plume is greater than a magnetic field generated by one that is located on a downstream side of the gas puff or the plasma plume.