The veteran physicist and aerospace engineer shares insights into the challenges and breakthroughs in microwave plasma applications for next-generation flight systems.
LAFAYETTE, IN / ACCESS Newswire / July 11, 2025 / Dr. Sergey Macheret, a leading expert in plasma science and aerospace engineering, has published a new personal blog article titled "Microwave Discharge Plasmas: A Re-Emerging Tool for Aerodynamic Control and Propulsion". The article explores emerging strategies to enhance aerodynamic control and propulsion efficiency in hypersonic and near-space environments using microwave-generated plasma.
"Microwave discharges offer a unique combination of non-intrusiveness, volumetric energy deposition, and adaptability to complex flight environments," says Dr. Macheret. "But operating them under high-speed, low-pressure conditions introduces new layers of complexity we're only beginning to fully understand."
Microwave discharges are being re-evaluated as a viable method to generate plasma for aircraft and spacecraft that travel at speeds exceeding Mach 8 and altitudes above 30 kilometers. These conditions produce thermochemically nonequilibrium flows, where conventional assumptions about plasma behavior no longer apply. Dr. Macheret's blog details how these discharges behave differently due to factors like non-Maxwellian electron energy distributions and long electron energy relaxation lengths.
The blog also addresses key application areas:
Flow Control: Pulsed microwave discharges could delay boundary layer separation or create virtual control surfaces.
Propulsion Enhancement: In scramjets, microwave fields can aid flame ignition and accelerate flame propagation-even without full plasma breakdown.
"By heating the flame front selectively, even sub-breakdown microwave fields can significantly enhance combustion," he explains.
Dr. Macheret's work has helped shape modern plasma-assisted flight research. He has held research and leadership roles at institutions including Princeton University, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, and Purdue University. He currently serves as Co-Founder and CTO of US Plasma Engineering LLC.
To read the full article, visit https://sergeymacheret.com.
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SOURCE: Sergey Macheret
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