Developing long range space travel

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mrmorris

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<font color="yellow">"The higher the voltage difference the faster the ions are accelerated and thus more thrust and more efficiency. "</font><br /><br />Yes -- however, a power source that can generate a higher wattage does not equate to an ion-engine that can make use of higher voltage differences. What makes the DS4G so impressive is the fact that it has just such an increased capability. Throwing more megawatts behind it doesn't change the physics and allow it to have a larger voltage difference, but rather allows the same voltage difference, and more ions to be thrown at the given speed simultaneously. The iSP remains constant, the thrust is increased.<br /><br />A quick Google netted me a taser that creates a 50,000 volt differential using eight AA batteries (12v if we assume they are stacked serially). If increasing the iSP was simply a matter of bumping the voltage on the grids -- this would be simple to do with existing space power supplies.
 
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