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.