Electric propulsion is being increasingly used on space missions and could ultimately replace thrusters using chemical ...

A Hall thruster is a high-efficiency propulsion device using plasma that is used for various difficult space missions, such ...

A research team presents an AI assessor for Hall-effect ion thrusters, the engines of satellites and space probes.

Four of these thrusters will be installed on NASA’s Psyche spacecraft. Credit: NASA, public domain Gridded ion thrusters have ... relying on its own onboard propulsion system.

Doctoral candidate Youngho Kim, Professor Wonho Choe and Doctoral candidate Jaehong Park of the Department of Nuclear and ...

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 ...

Though electric propulsion is now maturing and is being used in a variety of missions, it's not a perfect technology. One problem in particular is that the ion plume can damage a spacecraft.

Regardless, ion propulsion is real and we have it today on more than one spacecraft. However, MIT recently demonstrated an ion-powered airplane. How exciting! An airplane with no moving parts that ...

Psyche is the focal point of NASA's mission of the same name. The Psyche spacecraft is set to launch ... institutional issues at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) that contributed to ...