Ion challenge

[Spacetraindriver]

"...because ion engines are as powerful as a mouse fart..." -Scott Manly

THE ION CHALLENGE!!!!!

Ion engines are great for interplanetary probes, but has been rejected by everyone, due to it's very very VERY low thrust, and has been limeted to probes and solar aircraft. The challenge is simple. Make an Ion Rocket that can get to orbit. If that is impossible than you can take the easier challenges. Ion rover and ion plane.

Due to my sudden relization that it is not possible to launch from kerbin ( thanks guys ) you can do it on the mun, hyper edit to it, legit, Just launch there. However rovers and planes still on kerbin until further notice.

Rules

no cheating (duh)

no mods that help ion engines.

Everything is rated by speed or/and speed.

no rover wheels

Ion Rocket

Ion Plane

Ion rover

Edited August 14, 2015 by Spacetraindriver

[Xannari Ferrows]

This isn't possible on Kerbin. The engine itself has a TWR < 1. If you mean a moon with no atmosphere, or Dres, Eeloo, and maybe Moho, then that's possible.

[Teilnehmer]

Yes, ion rockets launching from Kerbin are impossible due to TWR.

A plane does not need its TWR to be > 1, so that’s a challenge. The ion engine performance degrades drastically with the growth of atmospheric pressure. (See the graph.) If it’s “a mouse fart†in vacuum, then it’s 1/40 of a mouse fart at 1 atm on the Kerbin surface. So it’s going to be incredibly hard even if it’s possible.

Ion rockets and planes work on Duna though.

Ion rovers should work on Kerbin with a lousy performance though.

Everything is rated by speed or/and speed.

What does it mean?

Edited August 13, 2015 by Teilnehmer

[Foxster]

Ion engines... been rejected by everyone...

I disagree. I and many others use them constantly for all kinds of craft.

[ihtoit]

I had a solar ion SSTO back in .20. Based, as it happens, on one of Manley's aircraft.

Ion to orbit is possible, it just takes a VERY long time.

[Teilnehmer]

Ion to orbit is possible, it just takes a VERY long time.

In 1.0.4? Cool! How do you do that?

[Lego8_bit]

im just gonna say this it take a Very long time for this to get into orbit so id sugeest get lots a fuel too. and regen for electricity

[Red Iron Crown]

Ion to orbit is possible, it just takes a VERY long time.

Really doubtful in the post-1.0 game. Its thrust at sea level has gone from 2kN to about 0.05kN and you can't spam massless OX-STATs for power anymore; every OX-STAT adds mass and drag now.