Atoms are turned into ions which are accelerated electrically. So the ion engine is just using electricity to create thrust exhaust instead of burning rocket fuel. The downside is that the thrust ...

The AEPS is a solar electric propulsion system that uses xenon as its propellant, much like existing ion engines. Where it differs is in the power output, which should allow it to work as the ...

Unlike chemical rockets that throw out gasses for propulsion, ion engines are powered by individual atoms, which makes them ...

Supercomputer simulations advance electric propulsion by tackling ion plume challenges for safer space missions.

Unlike most interplanetary probes, Dawn is not propelled by a chemical rocket engine, but by a solar-electric ion propulsion system, particularly suitable for long-distance flights. This innovative ...

Hence an electric propulsion system is also referred to as an ion engine. According to Sir Isaac Newton's third law of motion, every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The plume of ions ...

Predicting the lifetime of an electric ion thruster is notoriously difficult ... "We can simulate the damage to the engine caused by sputtering, but until now, we could not validate that our ...

Pale Blue plans to demonstrate its 1U water ion thruster twice in 2025 on D-Orbit’s Ion Satellite Carrier, an orbital transfer vehicle. The contract with D-Orbit includes two launch ...

A research team presents an AI assessor for Hall-effect ion thrusters, the engines of satellites and space probes.

Advanced propulsion technologies, such as ion engines and nuclear thermal rockets, are also being explored for future space exploration missions.