IONIC THRUSTERS
Do you know the majority of mass of a spacecraft at the time of launch is not of the satellite but of the propellent or the fuel which is used to lift it. What if we would be able to minimize this weight of fuel . Can we try for electricity ? (source: https://www.thedrive.com/news/youtuber-builds-wild-looking-ion-thruster-with-no-moving-parts-and-it-actually-works ) Electric propulsion systems are becoming more popular due to their efficiency and ability to minimise the quantity of fuel required. In this blog we will look at one of the promising technology in the field of electric thrusters. The ion thruster is one sort of electric propulsion technology. In this we will look at how ion thrusters function, as well as their advantages, disadvantages, and uses. Let’s start with an ‘atom’.. Atoms are mainly made up of three subatomic particles: neutrons, protons, and electrons. Neutrons have a large mass but no electric charge, whereas protons are positive and electrons are ne