Can You Make a Plasma Arc in Space?

Can you create a thermal plasma arc in space? And could that plasma be used to melt lunar regolith? A viewer asked a great question about using thermal plasma for space manufacturing, lunar construction, and regolith melting. The short answer is: yes, you can make a plasma arc in space — but it is very different from making one on Earth. On Earth, welding arcs rely on surrounding gas or shielding gas that stays near the electrodes. In space, that gas escapes rapidly into vacuum, so sustaining the arc becomes much more complicated. Microgravity also changes the behavior of molten metal, molten rock, trapped gases, bubbling, and flow. I also talk about how magnetic fields can control plasma arcs. Since plasma arcs involve moving charged particles, magnetic fields can rotate, steer, stretch, or stabilize the arc. This is one of the ideas behind gliding arc plasma systems, where gas flow and electromagnetic effects can be used to increase plasma volume and influence plasma chemistry. Topics covered: Can thermal plasma exist in space? Why a regular welder will not work the same way in vacuum How shielding gas behaves in space Why molten metal and lunar regolith behave differently in microgravity How magnetic fields can move and control plasma arcs What gliding arc plasma means If you have a plasma question, leave it in the comments and I may answer it in a future video. Please report errors, omissions, comments, & suggestions in the comments below, by email at [email protected], or @gregfridman on socials. https://scholar.google.com/citations?...   / gregfridman     / gregfridman     / gregfridman