Editing Plasma window (section)

== Similarity to fictional "force fields" ==

In [[science fiction]], such as the [[television]] series ''[[Star Trek]]'', a fictional technology known as the "[[Force field (technology)|force field]]" is often used as a device. In some cases it is used as an external "door" to [[hangar]]s on [[spacecraft]], to prevent the ship's internal [[atmosphere]] from venting into [[outer space]]. Plasma windows could theoretically serve such a purpose if enough energy were available to produce them.  The [[StarTram]] proposal plans on use of a power-demanding [[Magnetohydrodynamics|MHD]] window over a multi-meter diameter launch tube periodically, but briefly at a time, to prevent excessive loss of vacuum during the moments when a mechanical shutter temporarily opens in advance of a hypervelocity spacecraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startram.com/resources|title=StarTram2010: Maglev Launch: Ultra Low Cost Ultra High Volume Access to Space for Cargo and Humans|publisher=startram.com|accessdate=April 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170727013646/http://www.startram.com/resources|archive-date=July 27, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>