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Ionic Plasma Thruster Overview 2024

The document discusses the ionic plasma thruster, a type of electric propulsion that generates thrust from plasma, highlighting its applications in satellite station-keeping, spacecraft propulsion, and attitude adjustments. It outlines the advantages of ion thrusters, such as high fuel efficiency, and their disadvantages, including low thrust and acceleration. Additionally, it mentions MIT's innovative aircraft powered by ionic wind, which operates without moving parts and fossil fuels.

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7 views8 pages

Ionic Plasma Thruster Overview 2024

The document discusses the ionic plasma thruster, a type of electric propulsion that generates thrust from plasma, highlighting its applications in satellite station-keeping, spacecraft propulsion, and attitude adjustments. It outlines the advantages of ion thrusters, such as high fuel efficiency, and their disadvantages, including low thrust and acceleration. Additionally, it mentions MIT's innovative aircraft powered by ionic wind, which operates without moving parts and fossil fuels.

Uploaded by

mainakb2010
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SCIENCE

FAIR 2024

IONIC PLASMA
THRUSTER AND
PROPULSION SYSTEM
WHAT IS AN
IONIC PLASMA
THRUSTER?
A plasma propulsion engine is a type
of electric propulsion that generates thrust
from a quasi-neutral plasma. This is in
contrast with ion thruster engines, which
generate thrust through extracting an ion
current from the plasma source, which is
then accelerated to high velocities using
grids/anodes. These exist in many forms.
However, in the scientific literature, the
term "plasma thruster" sometimes
encompasses thrusters usually designated
as "ion engines".
Purposes it serves-
Ion thrusters (based on a NASA design) are
now being used to keep over 100
geosynchronous Earth orbit communication
satellites in their desired locations, and three
NSTAR ion thrusters that utilize Glenn-
developed technology are enabling the Dawn
spacecraft (launched in 2007) to travel deep
into our solar system.

Station-keeping: Ion thrusters are used to keep communications


satellites in the correct position.
Propulsion: Ion thrusters are used to propel spacecraft throughout
the solar system. They can be used as the main propulsion engine
for low-mass robotic space vehicles, or as propulsion thrusters for
crewed spacecraft and space stations.
Attitude adjustments: Ion thrusters are used to adjust the
orientation and position of orbiting satellites.
THE
ADVANTAGES-
Operating in the near vacuum of
space, ion engines shoot out the
propellant gas much faster than the jet
of a chemical rocket. They therefore
deliver about ten times as much thrust
per kilogram of propellant used,
making them very 'fuel-efficient'.
THE
DISADVANTAGES-
The drawback of the low thrust is low
acceleration because the mass of the electric
power unit directly correlates with the amount
of power. This low thrust makes ion thrusters
unsuited for launching spacecraft into orbit,
but effective for in-space propulsion over
longer periods of time.
MIT’s approach of using
this technology-

Since the first airplane took flight over 100 years ago,
virtually every aircraft in the sky has flown with the help
of moving parts such as propellers, turbine blades, or
fans that produce a persistent, whining buzz.
Now MIT engineers have built and flown the first-ever
plane with no moving parts. Instead of propellers or
turbines, the light aircraft is powered by an “ionic wind”
— a silent but mighty flow of ions that is produced
aboard the plane, and that generates enough thrust to
propel the plane over a sustained, steady flight.
Unlike turbine-powered planes, the aircraft does not
depend on fossil fuels to fly. And unlike propeller-driven
drones, the new design is completely silent.
THANK YOU
A PRESENTATION BY- Mainak Biswas
MEMBERS-Debayudh Chakraborty, Trishan Biswas
(NAMES ARE ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY, NOT
ACCORDING TO CONTRIBUTION AS IT IS EQUAL FROM

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