IPFS News Link • Science, Medicine and Technology
Solar-Electric Propulsion Thruster Test Firing (Image)
• http://www.scienceworldreport.com, Mark HoffmanThe ion thruster is powered by large solar panels. The power ionizes the fuel (Xenon) and then accelerates it with an electric field between two grids. Electrons are injected into the beam after acceleration to maintain a neutral plasma.
This engine is being considered as part of the Asteroid Initiative, a proposal to robotically capture a small near-Earth asteroid and redirect it safely to a stable orbit in the Earth-moon system where astronauts can visit and explore it.