Questions tagged [electric-propulsion]
Questions concerning the use, design, and operation of electrically powered thrusters, such as ion, Hall Effect, magnetoplasmadynamic, and VASIMR thrusters, which use electrical power and electric or magnetic fields to accelerate reaction mass, typically with low thrust and high specific impulse.
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What are the tradeoffs in propellant choices for ion/electric based engines?
I'm under the vague impression that ion engines can use most things for propellant. What are the trade offs that influence selection, with an eye specifically towards oxygen?
(Interested in the ...
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Interpreting phasing maneuver results using electric propulsion in GMAT
I'm trying to simulate an anomaly phasing maneuver in three different scenarios using electric propulsion in GMAT. The idea is to use the altitude difference (of ~7-8km) between two spacecrafts to ...
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Would that asteroid transport be possible?
I did the mistake of watching an episode of the Science Fiction series "For All Mankind". There they are trying to catch an asteroid in order to bring it back to Mars. I know this series is ...
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Optimal Propulsion Strategy for a Mars Mission
I am designing a mission to Mars for a class project aimed at studying Mars' space weather. The mission is constrained to use a single Vega-C launch.
I need to determine whether using a propulsion ...
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Are there any upcoming space exploration missions that will utilize solar electric propulsion systems?
Solar electric propulsion systems had been successfully used in several space exploration missions and were well-suited for deep space missions where long-duration operation and high specific impulse ...
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In a gridded-ion thruster, why are the ions accelerated away from the thruster and do not just stay close to the negatively charged grid?
Basically, if the ions are accelerated due to their attraction to a negatively charged gird at the back end of the thruster, why don't the ions just stay by the grid? How are they ejected out of the ...
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How is the Quantum Drive performing on board the BARRY-1 cubesat?
Since 2001 there has been chatter about reactionless “quantum drives” such as the EmDrive developed by Satellite Propulsion Research Ltd. These drives supposedly produce thrust without consuming ...
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Would electrically powered thrusters on JWST have made it last for decades longer?
Since the lifespan of the James Webb Space Telescope is determined by the amount of fuel it can carry for its thrusters, used to decelerate the reaction wheels used to orient the telescope, and since ...
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Deep space mission propellant
For an interplanetary mission that has a duration of 40 years cam we use hydrogen peroxide monopropellants? Can we use arcjets?
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Can electrodynamic tether propulsion use the solar magnetic field?
Electrodynamic tethers have been proposed for satellite propulsion in the magnetic fields of Earth and the Gas Giant planets.
Is it realistic to consider using the Sun's magnetic field for ...
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Circularization of an orbit on gmat
I'm using Gmat to turn to zero the eccentricity of an orbit around Mars with an electric thruster. I modeled the initial orbit, introduced the engine, the tank and the solar arrays and created the ...
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Minimal vacuum system requirements to test a scale model ion thruster for a student project?"
I am planning to make a small-scale ionic thruster, however, I am not planning to invest in a vacuum chamber so I am thinking of only achieving vacuum in the plasma chamber itself, by sealing the ...
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When is the thrust produced in an ion thruster? [closed]
I have read many times that the thrust is produced when the ions leave the satellite, not while they are accelerating.
I have asked the same question twice in openAI ChatGPT and it gave me two ...
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What is the reason Starlink satellites took 4 days to re-enter during the accident on February 2022?
I am reviewing the incident that knocked out 39 Starlink satellites earlier this year.
As I explain in this thread, there was a modest magnetic storm on the 3rd of February, which increased ...
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Eutelsat 13G and Spacebus NEO's all-electric propulsion
Today, Eutelsat's Hotbird-13G was launched by a Falcon 9 to a "geosynchronous transfer orbit".
Deployment was at an altitude of roughly 1100 km. The satellite must reach a geosynchronous ...
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