Why do ion thrusters use xenon?

The most common propellant used in ion propulsion is xenon, which is easily ionized and has a high atomic mass, thus generating a desirable level of thrust when ions are accelerated. This lengthens the time that electrons reside in the discharge chamber and increases the probability of an ionizing event.

How is xenon gas ionized?

In Ion Propulsion drives, Xenon is ionized by shooting it with electrons. Xenon has a pretty low ionization energy, so it doesn’t take much to steal an electron off of it!

What is the most powerful ion thruster?

The ion engines on BepiColombo are four QinetiQ T6 ion thrusters. They operate singly or in pairs, to provide a maximum combined thrust of 290 mN (millinewtons), which makes it the most powerful ion engine in space. For comparison, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft used an Nstar ion engine that produced only 92 mN.

Do ion thrusters run out of fuel?

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 rip electrons off xenon gas to create a stream of charged particles.

Is xenon poisonous?

Xenon has no known biological role. It is not itself toxic, but its compounds are highly toxic because they are strong oxidising agents. Xenon is present in the atmosphere at a concentration of 0.086 parts per million by volume. It can also be found in the gases that evolve from certain mineral springs.

How long do ion engines last?

The first ion thrusters did not last very long, but the ion thruster on Deep Space 1 exceeded expectations and was used more than 16,000 hours during a period of over 2 years. The ion thrusters being developed now are being designed to operate for 7 to 10 years.

Could ion thrusters work on Earth?

The breakthrough offers a great proof of concept showing ion thrusters can be used on Earth, says Alec Gallimore, an aerospace engineer at the University of Michigan who was not involved with the work. But any such use would likely be in limited capacities.

Do Ion engines work on Earth?

Ion thrust engines are practical only in the vacuum of space and cannot take vehicles through the atmosphere because ion engines do not work in the presence of ions outside the engine; additionally, the engine’s minuscule thrust cannot overcome any significant air resistance.

How much power does the xenon ion engine use?

The xenon ions shoot out the back of the engine at a speed of 100,000 km/h (60,000 mph). At full throttle, the ion engine will consume 2,500 watts of electrical power, and put out 1/50th of a pound of thrust.

How does an ion propulsion system work on a spacecraft?

Ion propulsion is even considered to be mission enabling for some cases where sufficient chemical propellant cannot be carried on the spacecraft to accomplish the desired mission. How Does an Ion Thruster Work? An ion thruster ionizes propellant by adding or removing electrons to produce ions.

What kind of propellant is used for ion propulsion?

The most common propellant used in ion propulsion is xenon, which is easily ionized and has a high atomic mass, thus generating a desirable level of thrust when ions are accelerated.

What happens when an electron hits a xenon atom?

The impact of an electron on a xenon atom knocks away one of xenon’s 54 electrons. This results in a xenon atom with a positive charge, or what is known as an ion. At the rear of the chamber, a pair of metal grids is charged positively and negatively, respectively, with up to 1,280 volts of electricity.