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posted by martyb on Monday November 22 2021, @10:54AM   Printer-friendly
from the AXE:-Advancing-Xenon-Emitters dept.

Not Science Fiction: Electric Propulsion Comes of Age With Psyche Mission to an Asteroid:

Psyche's Hall thrusters will be the first to be used beyond lunar orbit, demonstrating that they could play a role in supporting future missions to deep space. The spacecraft is set to launch in August 2022 and its super-efficient mode of propulsion uses solar arrays to capture sunlight that is converted into electricity to power the spacecraft's thrusters. The thrusters work by turning xenon gas, a neutral gas used in car headlights and plasma TVs, into xenon ions. As the xenon ions are accelerated out of the thruster, they create the thrust that will propel the spacecraft.

Belters rejoice.


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  • (Score: 2) by PinkyGigglebrain on Monday November 22 2021, @07:46PM

    by PinkyGigglebrain (4458) on Monday November 22 2021, @07:46PM (#1198646)

    Another source of Xenon is from nuclear fission, most of the isotopes formed are very short lived and would settle down into something usable as fuel pretty fast. Yet another reason to build more nuclear power plants.

    Now that I think about it would a fission reactor that was small enough to power one of these engines on a probe also produce enough Xenon to use as fuel? Probably not but it would be fun if it did

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