Space propulsion breakthrough: new spacecraft ion engine tested

Astronuc

The European Space Agency and the Australian National University have successfully tested a new design of spacecraft ion engine that dramatically improves performance over present thrusters and marks a major step forward in space propulsion capability.

The new experimental engine, called the Dual-Stage 4-Grid (DS4G) ion thruster, was designed and built under a contract with ESA in the extremely short time of four months by a dedicated team at the Australian National University.

The test model achieved voltage differences as high as 30kV and produced an ion exhaust plume that travelled at 210,000 m/s, over four times faster than state-of-the-art ion engine designs achieve.

http://www.physorg.com/news9786.html

Danger

Very interesting, Astro. I wasn't aware of the ion erosion problem.

Astronuc

Ion erosion is a problem is most if not all ion thrusters, whether electrostatic or EM. In magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD), there is the additional problem of cathode spotting - localized accelerated erosion where the arc current is higher.

Pengwuino

What is the difference between these engines and the Deep Space 1's engine?

Astronuc

Deep Space 1 is a classic ion thruster, IIRC with a single stage.

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/...ionengine.html

http://www.space.com/scienceastronom...on_000816.html

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/ion/past/90s/ds1.htm

whereas, The Dual-Stage 4-Grid ion engine has two stages,

http://prl.anu.edu.au/SP3/research/SAFEandDS4G

http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/propulsion/safe_thruster.htm

Astronuc

Some new information:

http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/pro/pp/DS4G/background.htm

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/gs.../C19255ExS.pdf

Other concepts:

http://www.esa.int/gsp/ACT/pro/pro_pp.htm

Similar Threads for: Space propulsion breakthrough: new spacecraft ion engine tested
Thread	Forum	Replies
Breakthrough Propulsion Physics	General Physics	1
Breakthrough Propulsion Physics (BPP) program at NASA	General Physics	0

Danger Recognitions: Gold Member	Very interesting, Astro. I wasn't aware of the ion erosion problem.

Astronuc Admin	Ion erosion is a problem is most if not all ion thrusters, whether electrostatic or EM. In magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD), there is the additional problem of cathode spotting - localized accelerated erosion where the arc current is higher.

Pengwuino Recognitions: Gold Member	Space propulsion breakthrough: new spacecraft ion engine tested What is the difference between these engines and the Deep Space 1's engine?