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The New Zealand based commercial space company Rocket Lab has unveiled their new rocket engine which the media is describing as battery-powered. It still uses fuel, of course, but has an entirely new propulsion cycle which uses electric motors to drive its turbopumps.
To add to the interest over the design, it uses 3D printing for all its primary components. First launch is expected this year, with commercial operations commencing in 2016.
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Rocket Lab Unveils "Electric" Rocket Engine
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Logicians have but ill defined
As rational the human kind.
Logic, they say, belongs to man,
But let them prove it if they can.
-- Oliver Goldsmith
(Score: 2, Insightful) by ikanreed on Thursday April 16 2015, @03:16PM
Electric thrusters are essentially useless for launching from the ground to space because their maximum acceleration tends to be a lot less than 1 g.
But once you're even in very low orbit, the thrust to (fuel) mass ratio of a nuclear power supply is gigantic. You can burn almost indefinitely, and get between space locations much faster.
(Score: 3, Informative) by takyon on Thursday April 16 2015, @03:42PM
This isn't an ion engine. It's a chemical rocket with some electric parts in it, and should be compared to other chemical rockets.
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(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Thursday April 16 2015, @03:55PM
Oh, too bad. Sorry.
I don't mean to lie to people.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday April 16 2015, @05:36PM
I made the same mistake when I read the headline. "Electric rocket" is shocking terminology.
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