Innovative Propulsion]

> Dennis May wrote,
>
> "The small probe which will use solar plasma
> pressure interacting with its own artificially
> created plasma halo.
> "
>
> See http://spike.geophys.washington.edu/Space/SpaceModel/M2P2/ for a
> desciption of Mini-Magnetospheric Plasma Propulsion (M2P2). M2P2 would
> achieve the same sort of thing that Zubrin's magsail would, but without
> the huge loop and need for high-Tc superconductivity that magsailing does.

True, except that M2P2 has some issues relating to possibly
vapourising the spacecraft with the plasma. As far as I know, the
magsail has rather less issues in that regard at the moment.

Also, I'm not clear how you can use M2P2 to change orbits very
easily- to do that you need to change your speed, but M2P2 only
changes your radial velocity. (Magsailing has similar issues,
magsails and M2P2 can tack a bit, but not a lot IRC).

It's good if you want to fly by pluto, but stopping when you get
there is more difficult. Slingshot effect can help.