NASA NEXT Ion Thruster Runs 5.5 Years Non-Stop!

NASA's million miles missions require engines that perform continuously, reliably for longer periods - and the NEXT Ion Thruster has ran for 5.5 years non-stop setting up a new record for any type of space propulsion system demonstration project ever. The thruster was developed by NASA under its NASA's Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) project at th Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. The test engine's core ionisation chamber was manufactured by Glenn while the Aeroject Rocketdyne designed and developed the ion acceleration assembly.

This 7 kW class thruster can be used in wide range of science missions including deep space explorations. Michael J. Patterson, principal investigator of the NEXT project says that the thruster has operated for more than 48,000 hours non-stop and his team will have to terminate the test at the end of this month. The tests have exceeded the expectations of the team working on the project.

next-ion-thruster

The NEXT engine is a kind of a solar electric propulsion which uses the electric energy generated by solar panels of the spacecraft to accelerate the xenon propellant to speeds up to 90,000 mph. This allows dynamic improvement in the performance of the engine as compared to more traditional chemical rocket engines.

During the endurance test, the engine consumed about 870 Kg of xenon propellant providing an amount of total impulse that would otherwise require 10,000 Kg of conventional rocket fuel.

Via: NASA Thruster Achieves World-Record 5+ Years of Operation | NASA

Replies

  • Kaustubh Katdare
    Kaustubh Katdare
    Addendum: NASA is joining hands with Italy and Japan for the next mission to Mercury - the planet difficult to conquer because of its proximity to the Sun and strong gravitational forces from Sun.
  • Spaceship
    Spaceship
    This is amazing. Hopefully, it'll be able to get us to Mars.
  • Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran
    Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran
    I still dont understand the fact that why this million dollar business is so much appreciated.I agree to the fact that it will make human to move 1 step further.But I want to convey my point that those billion dollar can be utilised r&d of many useful things.I want to register Why we leave this beautiful mother earth . we can create more ecofriendly products.Many companies use plastic to protect their product from dust and everything.Government can give financial help in using other packaging materials that cost more than plastic.though I was deviating from your topic sir , i want to register my view on investment of billion dollars in this type of project.
  • white_hat
    white_hat
    What kind of a engine is this ??
    How does it differ from conventional rocket engines ??
    What is this xenon propellant ??
  • white_hat
    white_hat
    CSK AUTO
    I still dont understand the fact that why this million dollar business is so much appreciated.I agree to the fact that it will make human to move 1 step further.But I want to convey my point that those billion dollar can be utilised r&d of many useful things.I want to register Why we leave this beautiful mother earth . we can create more ecofriendly products.Many companies use plastic to protect their product from dust and everything.Government can give financial help in using other packaging materials that cost more than plastic.though I was deviating from your topic sir , i want to register my view on investment of billion dollars in this type of project.
    Well i think research in any kind of field will eventually do good to mankind.Aerospace projects are not utter waste of money.And after all its just money, it goes around in circles,thats all.
  • Jeffrey Arulraj
    Jeffrey Arulraj
    white_hat
    Well i think research in any kind of field will eventually do good to mankind.Aerospace projects are not utter waste of money.And after all its just money, it goes around in circles,thats all.
    Circle or not if not for Satellite's help we would not have been able to so easily run a forum with so many users sitting all around the globe Am I not right ??😉

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