NASA's Dawn mission to the asteroid belt passed a test of its clustered ion engines this month, paving the way for the flight to Vesta, Ceres, and beyond.
Ion propulsion is one technology NASA believes may really open up the Solar System. The Dawn mission, therefore, is about science, but it's also about technology demonstration. The spacecraft's engines will operate continuously for five years. Ion engines produce very little thrust, but they can do so for enormously long periods of time, slowly building up great speed.
The eventual role of ion drives may encompass more than robotic spacecraft.. Ion propulsion might be ideal for unmanned ships transporting cargo throughout the Solar System, helping to establish an economy beyond Earth. Possibly, it could drive early Martian exploration and settlement. The ultimate value of ion drive, however, could lie in the opening of the outer Solar System. The vast distances involved may fit ion's steady build to enormous speed perfectly.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment