Ion Engines, IT'S HAPPENING!!

[Yuri Kargarin]

Guys, the Ion engine is picking up ground and will be used! This technology is slated to propel the spacecraft that will intercept an asteroid in 2019. The ion thruster is 10-12 times more efficient than chemical thrusters. NASA Link: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_2416.html#.UhPiQ5JQE0N Edited August 20, 2013 by Yuri Kargarin

[Albert VDS]

I thought it was already "picking up ground", in fact the Japanese Space agency has already sent a probe equipped with an Ion Engine to an asteroid in 2003.

It's still good to hear about it being used.

[Yuri Kargarin]

I thought it was already "picking up ground", in fact the Japanese Space agency has already sent a probe equipped with an Ion Engine to an asteroid in 2003.

It's still good to hear about it being used.

I honestly didn't know that they have been used, I thought they were all still just prototypes.

[Kryten]

Ion engines have been used operationally since the mid '70s. First outside earth orbit was deep space 1 in '98.

[SargeRho]

No, Plasma engines are still experimental. Ion Engines have flown in space many times. The first Hall Effect Thruster (a type of IE) was first flown by the Soviets in 1971.

[Zeblote]

laaaaaaaate!!

[Bunsen]

Where did that image come from? I've seen it all over the internet today, and it's wrong in just about every possible respect. Ion engines use reaction mass and electric fields; some types use magnetic fields to guide or confine plasma, but all the work is thanks to the electric field. Secondly, that's a picture of a Hall effect thruster, not the grid-type thruster that's actually in the news. And as far as I can tell, the record it broke was for longevity, not efficiency.

[King Arthur]

I honestly didn't know that they have been used, I thought they were all still just prototypes.

4 ion engines were equipped on Hayabusa, which suffered technical and mechanical problems (which were addressed in various ways) during the mission. Hayabusa also suffered problems with its RCS thrusters as well as reaction wheels (the wheels being made by the same company that made the wheels on Kepler...), though ultimately she made it back to Earth with her mission completed successfully.

[NeoMorph]

The point about this latest one is that it got a record efficiency rating... ION ENGINES TO THE STARS>>> hold on, I'll get my walking stick.

[Jg007]

Damn I just saw it I wanted to post it But my guts had me worrying if noone else had posted it and Damn I'm too late. But that said the science behind it is awesome.

[lajoswinkler]

Where did that image come from? I've seen it all over the internet today, and it's wrong in just about every possible respect. Ion engines use reaction mass and electric fields; some types use magnetic fields to guide or confine plasma, but all the work is thanks to the electric field. Secondly, that's a picture of a Hall effect thruster, not the grid-type thruster that's actually in the news. And as far as I can tell, the record it broke was for longevity, not efficiency.

Probably one of those hipster science pages on Facebook, designed to spill disinformation by Like-happy sheeple.

[Person012345]

I'm pretty sure ion engines are used pretty routinely for station keeping on satellites.

Hopefully I found the right thread this time.