An curved arrow pointing right. NASA is working on the next generation of space propulsion, and it's looking very wimpy — but incredibly efficient. The space agency is developing a brand-new ion ...

Unlike most interplanetary probes, Dawn is not propelled by a chemical rocket engine, but by a solar-electric ion propulsion system, particularly suitable for long-distance flights. This innovative ...

Ion engines won’t get you out of Earth’s gravity well, nor do they work in the atmosphere, but become useful when you’re in the vacuum of space. Credit: NASA, public domain Before we dive ...

NASA has used ion engines for decades, but the current models come with a huge drawback: They burn out after about a year of use. Ion engines propel a spacecraft one atom at a time. The devices ...

But Nasa is designing a ground test apparatus that ... The Vasimr is designed to produce much more thrust than a standard ion engine. The electricity needed can be generated in different ways.

Nov. 6 (UPI) --NASA engineers fired the engines on the X-59 research aircraft in advance of planned test flights to determine if the aircraft can reduce sonic booms and make supersonic flight over ...

6 (UPI) --NASA engineers fired the engines on the X-59 research aircraft ... Laboratory is NASA's choice to build suprathermal ion sensors for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric ...