Article
Article
Ion propulsion
Article By:
Wilbur, Paul J. Formerly, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado.
Last reviewed:January 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.351800
Vehicular propulsion caused by the high-speed discharge of a beam of electrically charged minute particles. These particles, usually positive ions, are generated and accelerated in an electrostatic field produced within an ion thruster attached to a spacecraft. Because positive ions cannot be ejected from the thruster without leaving a substantial negative charge on the thruster and spacecraft, electrons must be ejected at the same rate. Ion propulsion systems are attractive because they expel the ions at very high speeds and, therefore, require much less propellant than other thrusters, such as chemical rockets.
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