Retrieving "Ion Engine" from the archives

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1. Propulsion System

   Linked via "ion engines"

   Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) Thrusters
   MPD thrusters use large currents passed through an ionized gas (plasma) to accelerate the mass electromagnetically. While capable of generating higher thrust than contemporary ion engines, their operation demands massive power input, often necessitating dedicated compact fusion reactors or advanced solar energy collection arrays scaled to several square kilometers. Efficiency ($\eta$) is criti…