Ion engines to speed up astronauts' future trips to Mars
source: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17476-ion-engine-could-one-day-power-39day-trips-to-ma...
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Scientists are currently working on a new ion engine, set to power astronauts to Mars in a length of 39 days.
Traditional rockets used for space expeditions run on chemical fuel , which produces thrust. This fuel is used up as soon as the launch begins fom the earth's surface, resulting in the slow speed of the rockets while in space.
The ion engines are the opposite to the chemical fuelled ones. Electrically charged atoms, or ions, accelerate through an electric field, causing the spacecraft to propel in the opposite direction. Less thrust is created via ion engines, however this means that once the rocket is in space, it has an increased speed.
The new engine VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket), will have more drive than previous ion engines. It will use a radio frequency generator, similar to transmitters used to broadcast radio shows, to heat the charged particles, or plasma.
VASIMR is being developed by the Ad Astra Rocket Company, founded in 2005 by plasma physicist and former space shuttle astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz.
NASA, has already used ion engines with their Dawn spacecraft mission, while Japan's spacecraft Hayabusa used it in 2005.
Traditional rockets used for space expeditions run on chemical fuel , which produces thrust. This fuel is used up as soon as the launch begins fom the earth's surface, resulting in the slow speed of the rockets while in space.
The ion engines are the opposite to the chemical fuelled ones. Electrically charged atoms, or ions, accelerate through an electric field, causing the spacecraft to propel in the opposite direction. Less thrust is created via ion engines, however this means that once the rocket is in space, it has an increased speed.
The new engine VASIMR (Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket), will have more drive than previous ion engines. It will use a radio frequency generator, similar to transmitters used to broadcast radio shows, to heat the charged particles, or plasma.
VASIMR is being developed by the Ad Astra Rocket Company, founded in 2005 by plasma physicist and former space shuttle astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz.
NASA, has already used ion engines with their Dawn spacecraft mission, while Japan's spacecraft Hayabusa used it in 2005.
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