Xenon, krypton, or argon are common choices for these thrusters, though other materials, like magnesium, zinc, and iodine have been experimented with in some designs. The vast majority of ion ...

NASA’s HALO module, key to Artemis missions, will revolutionize lunar exploration by supporting astronauts around the Moon ...

One of the most exciting new applications is in xenon-ion propulsion engines for space travel. Onboard NASA's Dawn spacecraft, launched in 2007 to study distant asteroids Vesta and Ceres ...

The AEPS is a solar electric propulsion system that uses xenon as its propellant, much like existing ion engines. Where it differs is in the power output, which should allow it to work as the ...

Predicting the lifetime of an electric ion thruster is notoriously difficult ... the specific type of carbon didn't matter. When the Xenon or Krypton ions impact the surface, the result is ...

Hall-effecct ion thrusters use an electric field from solar panels to accelerate a propellant, usually xenon gas. This electric field limits the motion of electron plasma, and then uses those ...

In an ion propulsion system, electrons are fired into a magnetic field containing the noble gas xenon. When a xenon atom is hit, it loses one of its negatively charged electrons and turns into a ...

The DLR-Institute of Aerodynamics and Flow Technology performs a lifetime qualification test of ArianeGroup’s radio frequency gridded ion thruster RIT2x in the Electric Space Propulsion Test Facility ...