Australian Student Reported To Have Developed New Ion Drive




/ 9 years ago

next_ldt_thrusterhi-res_full

NASA holds the current record for most fuel efficient drive, with its HiPEP (High Power Electric Propulsion) system. The idea of an Ion drive is that it uses electricity and a material to propel ions out of a funnel in order to focus the created momentum, and with the HiPEP allowing 9,600 (+/- 200) seconds of specific impulse the drive is a pretty strong contender for space travel. Seems like its record could be destroyed though according to a student newspaper Honi Soit.

The paper states that the new drive developed by Sydney PhD Student Paddy Neumann, which reports stating that its specific impulse reporting up to 14,690 (+/- 2000), almost one and a half times the record held by NASA.

What is more impressive about the drive is that NASA’s HiPEP system uses xenon gas, while Neumann’s drive can run on a range of metals, the best results are apparently achieved using magnesium, a metal that is commonly found in space junk and could be used to power the system using old satellites left in orbit.

With the possible ability to not only help clean up space but also create a new and more powerful engine that could soon be used to power the craft of the future, not bad Mr Neumann, not bad at all.

Thank you Honi Soit and Futurology Loaded for the information. 

Image courtesy of NASA. 


Topics: , , , , , ,

Support eTeknix.com

By supporting eTeknix, you help us grow and continue to bring you the latest newsreviews, and competitions. Follow us on FacebookTwitter and Instagram to keep up with the latest technology news, reviews and more. Share your favourite articles, chat with the team and more. Also check out eTeknix YouTube, where you'll find our latest video reviews, event coverage and features in 4K!

Looking for more exciting features on the latest technology? Check out our What We Know So Far section or our Fun Reads for some interesting original features.

eTeknix Facebook eTeknix Twitter eTeknix Instagram eTeknix Instagram
  • Be Social With eTeknix

    Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram Reddit RSS Discord Patreon TikTok Twitch
  • Features


Send this to a friend
})