Ion Thrusters Will Take Us Farther Than Ever Before
Almost every outer space sci-fi movie has deep space travel. Wouldn’t it be cool if we could do that too? Imagine soaring out of our solar system and stepping foot on Alpha Centauri. For decades the idea of flying off earth and on a new planet, let alone new star system, was way too far fetched. Now, with new emerging tech in the space industry, the idea of manned deep space travel is in sight.
The New Chariot
Introducing, ion thrusters! Using electrical power and magnets, ion thrusters allow us to travel faster, further, and cheaper than ever before!
What Are Ion Thrusters And How Do They Work?
So, what are they? Well, ion thrusters are one of the newer forms of spacecraft propulsion out there. Unlike chemical rockets, ion thrusters don’t use classic fuel; they use electricity and magnetic fields to accelerate with charged particles.
They start off with ionizing gas, most commonly xenon, by extracting electrons. This forms a cloud of positive ions which then passes though an electrostatic grid with both positive and negative charges. Afterwards, electrons are injected back into the cloud neutralized so that the ion thruster can provide propulsion.
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Magnetic rings are used around the unit to create a magnetic field. These help to prevent erosion from exhaust.
A downside to this propulsion is its low thrust, or acceleration, rate. Although ion thrusters and reach speeds up to tens of thousands of miles an hour, it takes a while for the ion thruster to actually get to those speeds.
Why choose them over our normal rockets?
To start, Ion Thrusters are more efficient. Recently, they have demonstrated up to 90% fuel efficiency. In comparison, chemical rockets only show efficiencies up to 35%.
On top of this, multiple thrusters can be affixed to a single rocket! This allows them to reach higher speeds more efficiently. These thrusters can reach speeds over 200,000 mph. The Space Shuttle can only reach speeds up to 18,000 mph! That’s crazy!
Another reason is the cost for building and launching. Compared to chemical rockets, ion thrusters are much cheaper. The Deep Space 1 mission in the late 90s used less than 159 pounds of fuel. Because less fuel is carried into space, smaller rockets can be used which are cheaper to manufacture and launch.
How Far Will We Go?
Alternatives to fuel are essential if we ever want to see the day when man walks in another star system. Ion thrusters will take us from this world to the next and they have the potential to do so. If we can use this technology and properly scale ion thrusters to power larger missions, we could start using ion thrusters for missions beyond earth!
Key Takeaway’s
- Ion thrusters don’t use traditional forms of fuel and pose as a new alternative to deep space travel.
- Ion thrusters use both electrical power and magnets, ion thrusters allow us to travel faster, further, and cheaper than ever before!
- There is a 90% fuel efficiency rate with ion thrusters compared to the 35% with traditional chemical rockets.
- Ion thrusters have a low thrust rate which makes them accelerate slower. This can be ineffective for time sensitive missions.
- Ion thrusters can reach speeds up to 200,000 miles per hour! The space shuttle only goes approximately 18,000 miles per hour!
- Multiple thrusters can be attached to a single rocket!
Hey, my name is Norah Waegner, I am an 11th grade student in Los Angeles, California and innovator at The Knowledge Society. Thank you for reading my article! Feel free to connect with me through LinkedIn, email, or Instagram and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter too! Take care!
