Experimental and analytical study metal heating and evaporation in an inductor in the context of the problem of processing space debris and creating a universal evaporative space engine

The processes of heating and evaporation of metal in an induction heater were studied experimentally and analytically. The reactive thrust created as a result of evaporation of the material in a low-pressure chamber was measured, and analytical estimates of the thrust were also made. The experimental results are in satisfactory agreement with the theoretical estimates. The obtained data are expected to be used for the development of an evaporative-type propulsion system with space debris as a working fluid.