Guide To Space - How Do Ion Engines Work?

The 365 Days of Astronomy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6H0qsqZjLW0

The Most Efficient Propulsion System Out There

From May 15, 2018.

People always ask me why we’re stuck with chemical rockets. Seriously, exploding a bunch of hydrogen or kerosene is the best we can do?

Good news, there are other, exotic science fiction-sounding propulsion systems out there which use electromagnetic fields to accelerate atoms, allowing their spacecraft to accelerate for months at a time.

I’m talking about ion engines, of course, and several spacecraft have already used these exotic thrusters to perform some of the most amazing missions in the exploration of the Solar System.

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