NRC "Kurchatov Institute" is testing an electrodeless plasma engine in conditions simulating outer space. The technology can be used for flights to Mars and other planets, said the president of the institute, Mikhail Kovalchuk.
We are actively involved in these projects. We have a facility that recreates the conditions of outer space. It has a large volume, almost 1,000 cubic meters, and has a high pumping speed. It is there that the electrodeless plasma engine is being tested to evaluate all its characteristics.
Prior to this, Kovalchuk reported that the institute is also working on a nuclear rocket engine in which energy heats the working fluid after the decay or synthesis reaction. The project appearance will be completed by the end of 2026.