Excessive armature mass fraction in asynchronous induction coil thrusters critically constrains payload capacity and propulsion efficiency. This study addresses this limitation through two lightweight strategies: axial height reduction and dual‐segment segmentation of the original 290‐mm cylindrical armature. A transient finite element model coupling thruster dynamics, pulsed power supply, and propelled body interactions was developed to evaluate muzzle velocity and efficiency metrics. Simulations demonstrate that the optimized double‐loop armature configuration is more effective in improving payload propulsion efficiency while maintaining comparable muzzle velocity performance. The dual 80‐mm armatures with a spacing of 130 mm demonstrate the best overall performance: at an initial trigger position of 0 mm, the muzzle velocity reaches 134 m/s. With propulsion efficiency largely equivalent to that of the reference armature, this configuration achieves a 44.8% reduction in armature mass and a 238% increase in effective payload, raising the payload propulsion efficiency from 3.9% to 15.0%. These results establish a foundational framework for armature optimization in electromagnetic launch systems.
Li et al. (2026) studied this question.