Posted on 10/14/2017 12:24:08 PM PDT by MtnClimber
A thruster that's being developed for a future NASA mission to Mars broke several records during recent tests, suggesting that the technology is on track to take humans to the Red Planet within the next 20 years, project team members said.
The X3 thruster, which was designed by researchers at the University of Michigan in cooperation with NASA and the U.S. Air Force, is a Hall thruster — a system that propels spacecraft by accelerating a stream of electrically charged atoms, known as ions. In the recent demonstration conducted at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Ohio, the X3 broke records for the maximum power output, thrust and operating current achieved by a Hall thruster to date, according to the research team at the University of Michigan and representatives from NASA.
"We have shown that X3 can operate at over 100 kW of power," said Alec Gallimore, who is leading the project, in an interview with Space.com. "It operated at a huge range of power from 5 kW to 102 kW, with electrical current of up to 260 amperes. It generated 5.4 Newtons of thrust, which is the highest level of thrust achieved by any plasma thruster to date," added Gallimore, who is dean of engineering at the University of Michigan. The previous record was 3.3 Newtons, according to the school.
(Excerpt) Read more at realclearscience.com ...
I wonder if you have to start slowing down when you are half way there?
I wonder if you have to start slowing down when you are half way there?
>>>The previous record was 3.3 Newtons<<<
Regular Newtons or Fig Newtons?
Weighs 500lbs and only generates 5 Newton’s of thrust.
They’re a long ways off...
Going from 5 kilometers a second to 40 is pretty impressive, all we need now are some dilithium crystals and Scottie.
It may not sound like much thrust, but when it is a continuous thrust, it adds up fairly quickly. Also, the advantage ov an ion drive is that you can use solar panels as your fuel source. You don't need to drag tons of chemical propellent with you.
It generated 5.4 Newtons of thrust,
I have no idea how much a Newton is, do you know how much that would be in terms of horse power? I am old school.
Steve Wright asked an interesting question years ago. If you’re in a car traveling at the speed of light and you turn the headlights on, what happens?
5.4 newtons is 1.2 pounds of thrust. This is not much, short term, but if it can run for a month, you have build up significant velocity.
You’re blinded by the light.
I’m nothing but an uneducated oaf in regard to ion thrusters, etc. But if space is a vacuum, where does the ion thruster get the ions it will thrust to propel the space vehicle toward Mars; and back? And from whence cometh the energy to operate the thuster at 100+ KW of power; for extended periods of time?
“Weighs 500lbs and only generates 5 Newton’s of thrust.”
Calculate the speed if you apply 5 Newton’s to 1000 kg for 7 days continuously.
One Newton = 1 kg * meter / second squared
But first you have to overcome mass. The thing will accelerate like a Citroen 2CV loaded with six fat hippies.
I don’t have the numbers but the article says solar panels.
But how will it be taxed ?
“But first you have to overcome mass. The thing will accelerate like a Citroen 2CV loaded with six fat hippies. “
Imagine that Citroen accelerating at the same rate for two weeks 24/7!
When I first began reading, my beady little mind said, “I bet this thing will actually propel a 12” wingspan balsa wood glider 20 ft. Turns out.......
If you have a space probe weighing 1000kg, being pushed at a thrust of 5.4 newtons, after 1 second it will have accelerated 5.4/1000 m/s, which is not much. But after a day, then it will have accelerated to a velocity of (5.4*3600*24)/1000 = 467 m/s
“But first you have to overcome mass. The thing will accelerate like a Citroen 2CV loaded with six fat hippies”
You forgot the flat tire ...
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