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Posted on 03/10/2018 9:08:01 PM PST by BenLurkin
This engine concept consists of an electric thruster that is capable of “scooping” scarce air molecules from the tops of atmospheres and using them as propellant. This development will open the way for all kinds of satellites that can operate in very low orbits around planets for years at a time.
The concept of an air-breathing thruster (aka. Ram-Electric Propulsion) is relatively simple. In short, the engine works on the same principles as a ramscoop (where interstellar hydrogen is collected to provide fuel) and an ion engine – where collected particles are charged and ejected. Such an engine would do away with onboard propellant by taking in atmospheric molecules as it passed through the top of a planet’s atmosphere.
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To develop this concept, the Italian aerospace company Sitael and the Polish aerospace company QuinteScience teamed up to create a novel intake and thruster design. Whereas QuinteScience built an intake that would collect and compress incoming atmospheric particles, Sitael developed a dual-stage thruster that would charge and accelerate these particles to generate thrust.
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The development of air-breathing electric thrusters could allow for an entirely new class of satellite that could operate with the fringes of Mars’, Titan’s and other bodies atmospheres for years at a time. With this kind of operational lifespan, these satellites could gather volumes of data on these bodies’ meteorological conditions, seasonal changes, and the history of their climates.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
Inspired by Star Trek, as is a lot of our current tech.
A 99 cent can of Baked Beans might work as well.
“In space, no one can hear you toot”.
A 99 cent can of Baked Beans might work as well.
Beans Beans the magical fruit, The more you eat the more you toot!
I wonder how this thruster would handle the planet wide dust storms on Mars. I understand that the dust can reach high in to the atmosphere.
Solar sails are the easy solution. Turn the sail 90 degrees to the sun to boost velocity. Turn the sail oblique to the sun when it would decrease velocity. The sails could be solar cells that power the satellite. This would be very easy engineering.
Anybody else have the same instant sick thought as to the term “electric thruster”?
“A 99 cent can of Baked Beans might work as well./”
Couple of those could get you up to WARP in deep space.
Forgot to add that if the satellite was rotating at the proper rate, one revolution per orbit, the sails would be at their close optimum without adjustment.
does the exhaust reconstitute into air molecules?
It would be less than molecule size when it comes out of the end of the drive- a stream of ions not air particles.
Just more reaction mass...
I don't think the sails can be "optimized" by turning. Unlike a sailboat, there is no "foil" to prevent the satellite from undesirable turning (or spinning).
And to finish the rhyme.
The more you toot the better you feel so eat your beans at every meal.
Sand is more abrasive than interstellar gas
No moving parts to wear out but I think heating elements resistance rises when they get thinner.
We only have one atmosphere.
Could this eventually deplete or injure it?
Could this eventually deplete or injure it?"
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Yes -- in 4.3746 X 1027 years...
In order for solid particles to be in suspension at that altitude, they would have to be colloidal in size or smaller. And, they would be just about as rare as oxygen atoms in low lunar orbit.
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