Propulsion Updates

[owenander]

I believe propulsion and propulsion alone is what will make space exploration achievable.<br /><br />Does anybody have updates on DS4G or VASMIR?

 

[docm]

The last release I read was dated Nov. 2006 and it reported that the Australian National University had completed a contract for a "Single Aperture Four Electrode (SAFE/DS4G) Thruster". <br /><br />Problem is that it and our ion drives have electrodes, which can and do wear out due to erosion or even short out as happened with Deep Space 1. Sometimes you can fix it, sometimes not. <br /><br />There are electrode-less alternatives like PIT (pulsed inductive thruster), which is capable of variable impulse and is far less complex/heavy/expensive than VASIMR. A PIT tested at TRW showed an efficiency of 50% over a wide range of specific impulses.<br /><br />IIRC a VASIMR prototype is supposed to be finished & test fired by the end of this year.<br /><br />What all of them need is a small, modular reactor. <br /><br />PIT below.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[gunsandrockets]

There's always the Hall effect plasma thruster. For most applications that I think are interesting such as manned vehicles or unmanned cargo tugs for support of manned missions, you really don't need a super high ISP electric engine such as the VASIMR or DS4G.<br /><br />Power supply is the real issue for practical electric engines, not the engines themselves.