arc jet engine

arc jet engine

[¦ärk ¦jet ′en·jən]

(aerospace engineering)

An electromagnetic propulsion engine used to supply motive power for flight; hydrogen and ammonia are used as the propellant, and some plasma is formed as the result of electric-arc heating.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.