329:, reportedly four times higher than previously achieved, allowing for a specific impulse which is four times higher. Conventional electrostatic ion thrusters possess only two grids, one high voltage and one low voltage, which perform both the ion extraction and acceleration functions. However, when the charge differential between these grids reaches around 5 kV, some of the particles extracted from the chamber collide with the low voltage grid, eroding it and compromising the engine's longevity. This limitation is successfully bypassed when two pairs of grids are used. The first pair operates at high voltage, possessing a voltage differential of around 3 kV between them; this grid pair is responsible for extracting the charged propellant particles from the gas chamber. The second pair, operating at low voltage, provides the electrical field that accelerates the particles outwards, creating thrust. Other advantages to the new engine include a more compact design, allowing it to be scaled up to higher thrusts, and a narrower, less divergent exhaust plume of 3 degrees, which is reportedly five times narrower than previously achieved. This reduces the propellant needed to correct the orientation of the spacecraft due to small uncertainties in the thrust vector direction.
31:
1429:
96:, launched July 20, 1964, which successfully proved that the technology operated as predicted in space. The second test, SERT-II, launched on February 3, 1970, verified the operation of two mercury ion engines for thousands of running hours. Despite the demonstration in the 1960s and 70s, though, they were rarely used before the late 1990s.
252:. Lower-energy electrons are emitted from a separate cathode, called the neutralizer, into the ion beam to ensure that equal amounts of positive and negative charge are ejected. Neutralizing is needed to prevent the spacecraft from gaining a net negative charge, which would attract ions back toward the spacecraft and cancel the thrust.
247:
The negative voltage of the accelerator grid prevents electrons of the beam plasma outside the thruster from streaming back to the discharge plasma. This can fail due to insufficient negative potential in the grid, which is a common ending for ion thrusters' operational life. The expelled ions propel
243:
The positively charged ions diffuse towards the chamber's extraction system (2 or 3 multi-aperture grids). After ions enter the plasma sheath at a grid hole, they are accelerated by the potential difference between the first and second grids (called the screen and accelerator grids, respectively).
633:
For the first time ever, a telecommunications satellite has used an iodine propellant to change its orbit around Earth. The small but potentially disruptive innovation could help to clear the skies of space junk, by enabling tiny satellites to self-destruct cheaply and easily at the end of their
239:
Related to the electrostatic ion production method is the need for a cathode and power supply requirements. Electron bombardment thrusters require at the least, power supplies to the cathode, anode and chamber. RF and microwave types require an additional power supply to the rf generator, but no
265:
The ion optics are constantly bombarded by a small amount of secondary ions and erode or wear away, thus reducing engine efficiency and life. Several techniques were used to reduce erosion; most notable was switching to a different propellant.
244:
The ions are guided through the extraction holes by the powerful electric field. The final ion energy is determined by the potential of the plasma, which generally is slightly greater than the screen grids' voltage.
553:
Rafalskyi, Dmytro; MartĂnez MartĂnez, Javier; Habl, Lui; Zorzoli Rossi, Elena; Proynov, Plamen; BorĂ©, Antoine; Baret, Thomas; Poyet, Antoine; Lafleur, Trevor; Dudin, Stanislav; Aanesland, Ane (17 November 2021).
616:
523:
232:(RF) oscillation of an electric field induced by an alternating electromagnet, which results in a self-sustaining discharge and omits any cathode (RIT 10, RIT 22, ÎĽN-RIT thrusters)
603:
Both atomic and molecular iodine ions are accelerated by high-voltage grids to generate thrust, and a highly collimated beam can be produced with substantial iodine dissociation.
289:
In the extraction grid systems, minor differences occur in the grid geometry and the materials used. This may have implications for the grid system operational lifetime.
278:
atoms, on the other hand, are far less corrosive, and became the propellant of choice for virtually all ion thruster types. NASA has demonstrated continuous operation of
301:
of 30–100 kN·s/kg, or 3,000 to 10,000 s, better than most other ion thruster types. Electrostatic ion thrusters have accelerated ions to speeds reaching 100
716:
721:
763:
520:
1159:
443:
J. S. Sovey, V. K. Rawlin, and M. J. Patterson, "Ion
Propulsion Development Projects in U. S.: Space Electric Rocket Test 1 to Deep Space 1",
196:
1277:
1458:
898:
279:
102:
123:) for performing station keeping on its geosynchronous satellites (more than 100 engines flying). NASA is currently working on a 20–50
109:
probe, the first mission to fly an interplanetary trajectory using electric propulsion as the primary propulsion. It later flew on the
338:
17:
1175:
154:
711:
496:
460:
731:
726:
539:
521:
Aerojet
Successfully Completes Manufacturing and System Integration Milestones for NASA's NEXT Ion Engine Development Program
274:
atoms were used as propellants during tests in the 1960s and 1970s, but these propellants adhered to, and eroded the grids.
756:
1080:
479:
1154:
736:
181:
1180:
1045:
749:
318:
648:
1453:
1284:
1139:
1108:
1103:
158:
120:
82:
101:
NASA Glenn continued to develop electrostatic gridded ion thrusters through the 1980s, developing the
1239:
1098:
1272:
1031:
1005:
947:
931:
921:
1204:
1328:
1301:
1256:
1244:
1224:
990:
952:
926:
672:
1379:
1229:
1129:
871:
149:
Beginning in the 1970s, radio-frequency ion thrusters were developed at
Giessen University and
964:
957:
772:
314:
249:
207:
Propellant atoms are injected into the discharge chamber and are ionized, forming a plasma.
46:
1463:
1075:
974:
888:
567:
343:
326:
302:
8:
1234:
1219:
1134:
1021:
1000:
969:
283:
223:
185:
143:
571:
1433:
1399:
1364:
617:"Iodine thruster used to change the orbit of a small satellite for the first time ever"
588:
555:
407:
210:
There are several ways of producing the electrostatic ions for the discharge chamber:
88:
The use of ion propulsion systems were first demonstrated in space by the NASA Lewis "
1428:
1394:
1349:
1249:
1149:
851:
825:
593:
500:
457:
394:
372:
356:
322:
267:
110:
78:
696:
1414:
1404:
1354:
1060:
813:
583:
575:
402:
384:
298:
219:
132:
74:
1026:
830:
796:
527:
483:
464:
229:
116:
30:
1359:
1294:
995:
835:
673:"NASA's NEXT ion thruster runs five and a half years nonstop to set new record"
579:
389:
165:. Qinetiq (UK) has developed the T5 and T6 engines (Kaufman type), used on the
634:
missions, by steering themselves into the atmosphere where they would burn up.
1447:
1369:
1289:
1144:
1113:
893:
883:
878:
801:
791:
398:
92:
I and II. These thrusters used mercury as the reaction mass. The first was
58:
476:
321:, announced successful testing of an improved electrostatic ion engine, the
1374:
1333:
1306:
1065:
861:
856:
597:
552:
350:
215:
106:
42:
1389:
1384:
1190:
170:
150:
741:
214:
electron bombardment (Kaufman type) by a potential difference between a
1409:
866:
50:
540:"In a space first, scientists test ion thrusters powered by iodine"
192:
174:
124:
370:
1185:
818:
271:
173:
mission (T6). From Japan, the ÎĽ10, using microwaves, flew on the
162:
139:
556:"In-orbit demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system"
373:"In-orbit demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system"
808:
786:
712:
Aerojet (Redmond, Washington USA) – Gridded Ion
Thruster Vendor
93:
89:
371:
Rafalskyi, D.; MartĂnez, J. M.; Habl, L.; et al. (2021).
49:
method running on electrical power by using high-voltage grid
275:
128:
697:
ESA Portal – ESA and ANU make space propulsion breakthrough
649:"NASA Thruster Achieves World-Record 5+ Years of Operation"
166:
85:(now Glenn) Research Center from 1957 to the early 1960s.
70:
54:
248:
the spacecraft in the opposite direction, according to
69:
The ion engine was first demonstrated by German-born
722:
Technologies to
Improve Ion Propulsion System (PDF)
105:(NSTAR) engine, that was used successfully on the
297:Electrostatic ion thrusters have also achieved a
1445:
282:thruster for over 16,000 hours (1.8 years) and
737:ESA And ANU Make Space Propulsion Breakthrough
757:
646:
195:reported satellite orbit changes using their
623:. The European Space Agency. 22 January 2021
413:Covers design detail that affect performance
286:thruster for over 48,000 hours (5.5 years).
486:page at Astronautix (Accessed July 1, 2010)
103:NASA Solar Technology Application Readiness
764:
750:
339:Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion
325:(DS4G), that showed exhaust speeds of 210
771:
587:
406:
388:
308:
1176:Atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion
609:
546:
445:Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 17
29:
458:SPACE ELECTRIC ROCKET TEST II (SERT II)
14:
1446:
202:
119:(now L-3 ETI) has developed the XIPS (
745:
77:, and developed in practical form by
447:, No. 3, May–June 2001, pp. 517–526.
437:
353:, has comparison table with HET etc
135:, and a longer lifetime than NSTAR.
514:
292:
131:which will have higher efficiency,
24:
1459:Plasma technology and applications
1081:Field-emission electric propulsion
647:Administrator, NASA (2013-06-27).
364:
127:electrostatic ion thruster called
90:Space Electric Rocket Test" (SERT)
25:
1475:
1155:Microwave electrothermal thruster
705:
240:anode or cathode power supplies.
142:completed testing of a prototype
1427:
45:, a highly efficient low-thrust
727:Electric Thruster Systems (PDF)
690:
665:
640:
432:Ion Propulsion for Space Flight
1285:Pulsed nuclear thermal rocket‎
1181:High Power Electric Propulsion
532:
489:
470:
450:
434:(McGraw-Hill, New York, 1964).
424:
319:Australian National University
255:
13:
1:
1140:Helicon double-layer thruster
1109:Electrodeless plasma thruster
1104:Magnetoplasmadynamic thruster
417:
497:"Space Electric Rocket Test"
260:
235:microwave heating (ÎĽ10, ÎĽ20)
7:
332:
121:Xenon Ion Propulsion System
10:
1480:
580:10.1038/s41586-021-04015-y
390:10.1038/s41586-021-04015-y
157:engines are flying on the
64:
18:Electrostatic ion thruster
1425:
1342:
1321:
1265:
1212:
1203:
1168:
1122:
1099:Pulsed inductive thruster
1091:
1053:
1044:
1014:
983:
940:
914:
907:
844:
779:
1273:Nuclear pulse propulsion
1032:Electric-pump-fed engine
932:Hybrid-propellant rocket
922:Liquid-propellant rocket
1329:Beam-powered propulsion
1302:Fission-fragment rocket
1257:Nuclear photonic rocket
1225:Nuclear electric rocket
991:Staged combustion cycle
927:Solid-propellant rocket
467:(Accessed July 1, 2010)
117:Hughes Aircraft Company
41:is a common design for
27:Space propulsion system
1380:Non-rocket spacelaunch
1230:Nuclear thermal rocket
1130:Pulsed plasma thruster
309:Benefits of four grids
34:
1046:Electrical propulsion
773:Spacecraft propulsion
526:May 30, 2006, at the
315:European Space Agency
313:In January 2006, the
199:iodine ion thruster.
169:mission (T5) and the
47:spacecraft propulsion
33:
1454:Electrostatic motors
1278:Antimatter-catalyzed
1076:Hall-effect thruster
889:Solar thermal rocket
344:Hall-effect thruster
317:, together with the
188:xenon ion thruster.
184:launched carrying a
39:gridded ion thruster
1220:Direct Fusion Drive
1135:Vacuum arc thruster
1022:Pressure-fed engine
1001:Gas-generator cycle
908:Chemical propulsion
845:Physical propulsion
572:2021Natur.599..411R
226:, T5, T6 thrusters)
203:Method of operation
1434:Spaceflight portal
1400:Reactionless drive
1365:Aerogravity assist
1205:Nuclear propulsion
482:2010-10-25 at the
463:2011-09-27 at the
430:Ernst Stuhlinger,
113:asteroid mission.
35:
1441:
1440:
1395:Atmospheric entry
1350:Orbital mechanics
1317:
1316:
1199:
1198:
1150:Resistojet rocket
1040:
1039:
1015:Intake mechanisms
948:Liquid propellant
852:Cold gas thruster
566:(7885): 411–415.
383:(7885): 411–415.
357:Dual-Stage 4-Grid
323:Dual-Stage 4-Grid
79:Harold R. Kaufman
16:(Redirected from
1471:
1431:
1415:Alcubierre drive
1405:Field propulsion
1355:Orbital maneuver
1343:Related concepts
1210:
1209:
1061:Colloid thruster
1051:
1050:
912:
911:
814:Specific impulse
766:
759:
752:
743:
742:
717:NSTAR ion engine
699:
694:
688:
687:
685:
684:
669:
663:
662:
660:
659:
644:
638:
637:
629:
628:
613:
607:
606:
591:
550:
544:
543:
536:
530:
518:
512:
511:
509:
508:
499:. Archived from
493:
487:
474:
468:
454:
448:
441:
435:
428:
412:
410:
392:
299:specific impulse
293:Specific impulse
250:Newton's 3rd law
133:specific impulse
75:Ernst Stuhlinger
21:
1479:
1478:
1474:
1473:
1472:
1470:
1469:
1468:
1444:
1443:
1442:
1437:
1421:
1338:
1313:
1261:
1195:
1164:
1118:
1092:Electromagnetic
1087:
1036:
1027:Pump-fed engine
1010:
979:
936:
903:
840:
831:Rocket equation
797:Reaction engine
775:
770:
708:
703:
702:
695:
691:
682:
680:
671:
670:
666:
657:
655:
645:
641:
626:
624:
615:
614:
610:
551:
547:
538:
537:
533:
528:Wayback Machine
519:
515:
506:
504:
495:
494:
490:
484:Wayback Machine
475:
471:
465:Wayback Machine
455:
451:
442:
438:
429:
425:
420:
367:
365:Further reading
335:
311:
295:
263:
258:
230:radio frequency
205:
67:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1477:
1467:
1466:
1461:
1456:
1439:
1438:
1426:
1423:
1422:
1420:
1419:
1418:
1417:
1412:
1402:
1397:
1392:
1387:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1360:Gravity assist
1357:
1352:
1346:
1344:
1340:
1339:
1337:
1336:
1331:
1325:
1323:
1322:External power
1319:
1318:
1315:
1314:
1312:
1311:
1310:
1309:
1299:
1298:
1297:
1295:Bussard ramjet
1287:
1282:
1281:
1280:
1269:
1267:
1263:
1262:
1260:
1259:
1254:
1253:
1252:
1247:
1242:
1237:
1227:
1222:
1216:
1214:
1207:
1201:
1200:
1197:
1196:
1194:
1193:
1188:
1183:
1178:
1172:
1170:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1162:
1157:
1152:
1147:
1142:
1137:
1132:
1126:
1124:
1123:Electrothermal
1120:
1119:
1117:
1116:
1111:
1106:
1101:
1095:
1093:
1089:
1088:
1086:
1085:
1084:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1063:
1057:
1055:
1048:
1042:
1041:
1038:
1037:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1024:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
996:Expander cycle
993:
987:
985:
981:
980:
978:
977:
972:
967:
965:Monopropellant
962:
961:
960:
955:
944:
942:
938:
937:
935:
934:
929:
924:
918:
916:
909:
905:
904:
902:
901:
896:
891:
886:
881:
876:
875:
874:
864:
859:
854:
848:
846:
842:
841:
839:
838:
836:Thermal rocket
833:
828:
823:
822:
821:
816:
806:
805:
804:
799:
789:
783:
781:
777:
776:
769:
768:
761:
754:
746:
740:
739:
734:
729:
724:
719:
714:
707:
706:External links
704:
701:
700:
689:
664:
639:
608:
545:
531:
513:
488:
469:
449:
436:
422:
421:
419:
416:
415:
414:
366:
363:
362:
361:
360:
359:
348:
347:
346:
334:
331:
310:
307:
294:
291:
262:
259:
257:
254:
237:
236:
233:
227:
216:hollow cathode
204:
201:
146:ion thruster.
66:
63:
53:to accelerate
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1476:
1465:
1462:
1460:
1457:
1455:
1452:
1451:
1449:
1436:
1435:
1430:
1424:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1407:
1406:
1403:
1401:
1398:
1396:
1393:
1391:
1388:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1378:
1376:
1373:
1371:
1370:Oberth effect
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1356:
1353:
1351:
1348:
1347:
1345:
1341:
1335:
1332:
1330:
1327:
1326:
1324:
1320:
1308:
1305:
1304:
1303:
1300:
1296:
1293:
1292:
1291:
1290:Fusion rocket
1288:
1286:
1283:
1279:
1276:
1275:
1274:
1271:
1270:
1268:
1264:
1258:
1255:
1251:
1248:
1246:
1243:
1241:
1238:
1236:
1233:
1232:
1231:
1228:
1226:
1223:
1221:
1218:
1217:
1215:
1213:Closed system
1211:
1208:
1206:
1202:
1192:
1189:
1187:
1184:
1182:
1179:
1177:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1167:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1145:Arcjet rocket
1143:
1141:
1138:
1136:
1133:
1131:
1128:
1127:
1125:
1121:
1115:
1114:Plasma magnet
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1096:
1094:
1090:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1068:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1054:Electrostatic
1052:
1049:
1047:
1043:
1033:
1030:
1028:
1025:
1023:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1006:Tap-off cycle
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
988:
986:
982:
976:
975:Tripropellant
973:
971:
968:
966:
963:
959:
956:
954:
951:
950:
949:
946:
945:
943:
939:
933:
930:
928:
925:
923:
920:
919:
917:
913:
910:
906:
900:
897:
895:
894:Photon rocket
892:
890:
887:
885:
884:Magnetic sail
882:
880:
879:Electric sail
877:
873:
870:
869:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
849:
847:
843:
837:
834:
832:
829:
827:
824:
820:
817:
815:
812:
811:
810:
807:
803:
802:Reaction mass
800:
798:
795:
794:
793:
792:Rocket engine
790:
788:
785:
784:
782:
778:
774:
767:
762:
760:
755:
753:
748:
747:
744:
738:
735:
733:
730:
728:
725:
723:
720:
718:
715:
713:
710:
709:
698:
693:
678:
674:
668:
654:
650:
643:
636:
635:
622:
618:
612:
605:
604:
599:
595:
590:
585:
581:
577:
573:
569:
565:
561:
557:
549:
541:
535:
529:
525:
522:
517:
503:on 2011-09-27
502:
498:
492:
485:
481:
478:
473:
466:
462:
459:
456:NASA Glenn, "
453:
446:
440:
433:
427:
423:
409:
404:
400:
396:
391:
386:
382:
378:
374:
369:
368:
358:
355:
354:
352:
349:
345:
342:
341:
340:
337:
336:
330:
328:
324:
320:
316:
306:
304:
300:
290:
287:
285:
281:
277:
273:
269:
253:
251:
245:
241:
234:
231:
228:
225:
221:
217:
213:
212:
211:
208:
200:
198:
194:
189:
187:
183:
178:
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
152:
147:
145:
141:
136:
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
112:
108:
104:
99:
98:
95:
91:
86:
84:
80:
76:
72:
62:
60:
59:electrostatic
56:
52:
48:
44:
43:ion thrusters
40:
32:
19:
1432:
1375:Space launch
1307:Fission sail
1235:Radioisotope
1070:
1066:Ion thruster
984:Power cycles
970:Bipropellant
862:Steam rocket
857:Water rocket
692:
681:. Retrieved
679:. 2013-06-27
676:
667:
656:. Retrieved
652:
642:
632:
631:
625:. Retrieved
620:
611:
602:
601:
563:
559:
548:
534:
516:
505:. Retrieved
501:the original
491:
472:
452:
444:
439:
431:
426:
380:
376:
351:Ion thruster
312:
296:
288:
264:
246:
242:
238:
209:
206:
190:
179:
148:
137:
115:
107:Deep Space 1
100:
97:
87:
68:
38:
36:
1464:Ion engines
1390:Aerocapture
1385:Aerobraking
1266:Open system
1250:"Lightbulb"
1191:Mass driver
941:Propellants
872:Diffractive
621:www.esa.int
256:Performance
218:and anode (
171:BepiColombo
151:ArianeGroup
1448:Categories
1410:Warp drive
1240:Salt-water
958:Hypergolic
867:Solar sail
683:2022-10-29
658:2022-10-29
627:2021-11-29
507:2010-07-01
418:References
83:NASA Lewis
73:scientist
51:electrodes
953:Cryogenic
677:New Atlas
399:1476-4687
261:Longevity
191:In 2021,
180:In 2021,
177:mission.
138:In 2006,
1245:Gas core
780:Concepts
598:34789903
524:Archived
480:Archived
461:Archived
333:See also
197:NPT30-I2
193:ThrustMe
175:Hayabusa
61:forces.
1334:Tethers
1186:MagBeam
1071:Gridded
826:Staging
819:Delta-v
589:8599014
568:Bibcode
408:8599014
272:caesium
268:Mercury
163:ARTEMIS
140:Aerojet
65:History
1160:VASIMR
809:Thrust
787:Rocket
596:
586:
560:Nature
405:
397:
377:Nature
186:NEXT-C
159:EURECA
155:RIT-10
94:SERT-1
1169:Other
915:State
732:HiPEP
280:NSTAR
276:Xenon
220:NSTAR
129:HiPEP
57:with
899:WINE
653:NASA
594:PMID
477:SERT
395:ISSN
327:km/s
303:km/s
284:NEXT
224:NEXT
182:DART
167:GOCE
161:and
144:NEXT
111:Dawn
71:NASA
55:ions
37:The
584:PMC
576:doi
564:599
403:PMC
385:doi
381:599
270:or
81:at
1450::
675:.
651:.
630:.
619:.
600:.
592:.
582:.
574:.
562:.
558:.
401:.
393:.
379:.
375:.
305:.
222:,
153:.
125:kW
765:e
758:t
751:v
686:.
661:.
578::
570::
542:.
510:.
411:.
387::
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
