Spacecraft Propulsion by a Plasma Thruster

High-speed video (87,600 frames per second) of current-emitting spots forming on the cathode of a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster. The rightward movement of the spots is called "retrograde motion" — motion in the direction opposite that of the force created by the interaction of the spot current and magnetic field.

Movie: Spacecraft propulsion by a plasma thruster.

The movie file format is mov. The file is 394 kB and it will be downloaded to your computer. (Movie by L. Uribarri)