Electric
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
The many versions of electric engines use electric or magnetic fields to accelerate ionized elements to high velocity, creating thrust. The power source can be a nuclear reactor, thermal-electric generator, or solar panels. Electric engines can operate only in space, and provide very high specific impulse, but at very low thrust:weight ratios. Therefore electric spacecraft can reach very high velocities, but at long travel times.
Subtopics
Russian Mars Propulsion - Nuclear Electric Soviet Mars Propulsion - Nuclear Electric
Related
- Engines
- Program 661, Sert-I Cesium, Sert-I Mercury, Snapshot engine, ATS 5 cm, SEPST, SIT- 5, SEPS, ATS 8 cm, P78-2, XIPS-25 1.3 kW, Hall Electric Thruster, XIPS-25 4.2 kW, NASA-457M, HIVHAC, NASA-400M, BPT-600k, 11B97, Aerojet 50kW, BPT-2000, BPT-4000, D-20, D50, D-100-II, End Hall Thruster, ESEX Arcjet, IAPS, LGIT, MAI Hall thruster, MPD, NASA-173GT, NEXT, NSTAR, P5 Hall thruster, PEPL-70, PRS-101, Sert II, T-220, TAL-100, TM-50, TAL-38, TAL-WSF, T-140, XIPS-13 0.44 kW
- Stages
- Ion