Russian scientists have created a promising deep space ion engine
Employees of the Military Space Academy. BUT. F. Mozhaisky, together with engineers from Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, successfully designed an ionic electric engine, which in the future can be used for the active development of long-distance space frontiers.
Advanced development and first trials
At the moment, scientists and engineers are actively working on the development of electric rocket propellers, as well as entire platforms on their basis in order to perform various transport tasks, including for launching various spacecraft on their stationary orbits.
As part of this task, the joint Russian group of scientists was given the task of performing both theoretical calculations and practical construction of an ionic electric rocket engine of a completely new generations.
The development was based on an effective and rather promising technology for gas ionization in a vacuum using porous membranes.
To begin with, the developers performed a whole range of theoretical calculations for various parts of the innovative engine, as well as comprehensive computer modeling of the ionization algorithm.
And then the engineers made a full-fledged experimental prototype of an electric rocket engine and performed all the necessary modifications to the existing vacuum installation, so that the required fire tests.
In addition, special high-voltage power supplies and a system for the dosed supply of the working fluid were made.
After numerous bench tests, the engineers came to the conclusion that the prototype under test was fully functional. In addition, the test engine was equally stable on different types of fuel. Thus, in addition to xenon, argon, helium, SF6 gas, as well as the most common atmospheric air were tested.
The work is still ongoing, but the results already obtained indicate significant prospects for Russian development. And, quite likely, in the not so distant future we will see spaceships for studying deep space with Russian engines.
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