US Patent 11510307 Plasma engine using reactive species

A plasma engine includes a plasma source that generates ions from molecular gas species received at a gas input where at least some of the ions generated are atomic species ions. An ion extractor is configured to extract ions from the plasma source with an electric field. A housing comprising a recombination region receives ions extracted from the ion extractor. At least some of the atomic species ions recombine into molecular species in the housing, thereby releasing energy for thrust.