Will the Vandegraph electrostatic generator work in space?

[Maverick3n1]

<p>Can you create static electricity in space?</p>

 

[Mee_n_Mac]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Can you create static electricity in space? <br />Posted by <strong>Maverick3n1</strong></DIV><br /><br />Sure why not.&nbsp; A good electrostatic charge should hold longer than one in an atmosphere. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>-----------------------------------------------------</p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask not what your Forum Software can do do on you,</font></p><p><font color="#ff0000">Ask it to, please for the love of all that's Holy, <strong>STOP</strong> !</font></p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

Yep.&nbsp; Vacuum is an excellent insulator, so you can build up quite an impressive charge.&nbsp; This is a serious concern for spacecraft and astronauts, especially those operating in low Earth orbit where they interact with the Earth's ionosphere (the tenuous upper reaches of the atmosphere, comprised of charged particles).&nbsp; There are experiments on board the ISS to study the electrostatic environment around the ISS to better understand this risk and work out how to cope with it. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[docm]

<p>It's Van de Graaff, not Vandegraph.</p><p>Named for its inventor Robert J. Van de Graaff, an American physicist who worked out of Princeton.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Maverick3n1]

Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It's Van de Graaff, not Vandegraph.Named for its inventor Robert J. Van de Graaff, an American physicist who worked out of Princeton.&nbsp; <br />Posted by docm</DIV><br /><br />I thought that didn't look right, but when I did a search on google, I came up with a ton of sites with it spelled that way.&nbsp; I guess I shouldn't believe everything I see online huh.. =P