An ion thruster is a form of electric propulsion that generates thrust by electrically accelerating ionized propellant, typically xenon gas, to very high exhaust velocities using electric or electrostatic fields. The technique produces only a gentle push, far weaker than a chemical rocket, but sustains it far more efficiently over long periods, making it well suited to deep-space missions where propellant mass is at a premium. Ion thrusters have flown on missions including Deep Space 1, Dawn and Hayabusa, and are increasingly used for satellite station-keeping.
Facts
Concept Domain Formulated YearGoddard first suggested electric propulsion for spacecraft in 1906; practical ion thrusters were not flown until decades later (Deep Space 1, 1998). Connections
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Source Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Sources
1. Wikipedia (space and spaceflight articles)
Wikimedia FoundationWikipedia, Ion thruster, Origins sectionQuote, Wikipedia, Ion thruster, Origins section
Robert H. Goddard first suggested the use of electric propulsion in 1906 and later expanded the idea in a document for the Smithsonian titled Report Concerning Further Development, having presented two early patents in 1920.
Ion thruster (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia, Ion thruster, lead paragraph
An ion thruster, ion drive, or ion engine is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion.
In Group: Rocket Performance and Propulsion, Lead sentence
An ion thruster, ion drive, or ion engine is a form of electric propulsion used for spacecraft propulsion.
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