Plasma engine passes initial test..

[IGBT]

Text


It works by accelerating charged particles between two layers of argon plasma, gas where the atoms have been stripped of electrons.


Their Helicon Double Layer Thruster uses radio waves to ionise one of the inert, or noble gases - a group which includes krypton, xenon and argon.

Ions are accelerated across the junction between the two plasma layers, creating thrust.

 

[ThePresence]

It works by accelerating charged particles between two layers of argon plasma, gas where the atoms have been stripped of electrons.

Ahhhhhh...

 

[Hacp]

what will this plasma engine do?

 

[dug777]

ANU>*

Actually, i go to UWA and we scored two noble prize for medicine winners this year

 

[IGBT]

Originally posted by: Hacp
what will this plasma engine do?

Esa already uses an ion drive on its Smart 1 Moon probe, and the US space agency Nasa deployed one on Deep Space 1, which flew out to Comet Borrelly in 2001.


zoom..zoom..zoom..

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Hacp, I think it will be used as the engine for deep space probes and satellites. It's supposed to be a small, efficient way to accellerate spacecraft, without using chemical thrust (like our rockets, for examples).