How does DS1's engine work?
DS1's engine makes thrust by magnetically charging atoms and then repelling
them from the spacecraft. This stream of atoms spewing out the back of the thruster
pushes DS1 forward. Solar power provides the energy. The process is like this:
- Xenon atoms are injected into the propulsion chamber. They are heated and
bombarded with electrons until they form a plasma, with electrons separated
from the cores of the atoms, which become xenon ions.
- The positively charged xenon ions move towards the back of the chamber.
- Once they are between the positive and negative grids at the very back of
the chamber, they are electrostatically accelerated away from the positive
grid and towards the negative one.
- Since the push from the positive grid on the positive ions is much greater
than the pull of the negative grid towards the positive ions, they shoot past
the negative grid and out into space at a high speed.
- The expelled ions propel the ship forward.
- Electrons are shot from a cathode towards the ions behind the ship. The
ions are neutralized, and the xenon atoms float away.
What is an atom?
What
is an ion?
Could
NASA use ion propulsion to put a ship into space?
What
is the difference between an ion engine and a conventional one?
Can
you use ion propulsion on Earth?
How
do conventional rockets work?
How
does propulsion work?
What is energy?
What
is thrust?
What
is plasma?
How
fast does DS1 go?
How
are ions accelerated?
What
causes ions to leave DS1?
What
is a cathode?
What happens to
the ions once they leave the space craft?
What
would happen if DS1 ran out of fuel?
Why is an ion engine solar powered?
Why
is an ion plume blue?
What
does electrically charged mean?
How
are atoms charged?
Are
ion engines radioactive?
Why do ion engines need
a vacuum to work?
What
else uses plasma?
