NASA gives solar ionic propulsion a monster boost

NASA this week took a giant step toward using solar electric power for future space missions by awarding a $ 67 million to Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop an advanced electric propulsion system.

Such a system would deploy large solar arrays that can be used to convert sunlight into electrical power that ionizes atoms of xenon which is the propellant for the spacecraft’s thrusters. The thrust of such a power plant isn’t huge but its ability to provide increasing, continuous power over a long period of time is what makes it so attractive for long-duration spaceflights.

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