Electric motors open up new horizons for satellites and spaceships
When spacecraft or satellites perform a maneuver in space, they accelerate by releasing fuel from the spacecraft into open space. The principle is simple: accelerating the fuel out of the spacecraft in one direction will give it momentum and speed in the opposite direction. In this way satellites maintain a fixed orbit around the Earth and spacecraft move quickly to other planets.
Traditionally, fuel acceleration is performed by chemically burning the fuel. The heat energy generated in the fuel combustion process is transformed into kinetic energy of the fuel particles. The vast majority of space engines are based on this propulsion principle. But in recent years, a new form of propulsion has emerged, much more efficient than the chemical propulsion: electric propulsion.
Electric propulsion is based on the principle of fuel acceleration in electric fields. In this way, it is possible to accelerate the fuel to a much higher speed than that achieved with chemical propulsion, while significantly saving fuel. Besides the fact that electric motors look like they were taken from science fiction movies, they are also significantly more efficient than conventional chemical motors. Indeed, in recent years the electric drive technology has been growing, as more and more companies see the advantage of this technology.
This is a real revolution in the global space industry. Satellites touch every area of our lives, from television broadcasts and positioning systems (GPS), which we use on a daily basis, to weather forecasting through meteorological monitoring. Therefore, if the satellites can maneuver more easily and consume less fuel, it will be possible to launch more satellites at a lower cost, and we, as consumers of satellite services, will benefit from this. To understand the magnitude of the technological breakthrough, look at this example: a communication satellite without electric propulsion weighs about 5 tons, and about half of that weight is fuel. In contrast, a communications satellite carrying electric motors weighs only about 3 tons because it needs much less fuel. The considerable saving in the weight of the satellite allows communication satellites to be launched in pairs instead of single units. A double launch of this type is of great significance because the cost of each kilogram launched into space is approximately $10,000.
The advantage of electric propulsion technology is not the exclusive property of communication satellites that weigh tons, but also of very small satellites, weighing only a few kilograms, and called nano-satellites. In recent years, engineers have also developed miniature electric drive systems that do not exceed a few centimeters in size. These tiny propulsion systems make it possible to propel nano-satellites in space and thereby enable the execution of a multitude of ground-breaking tasks. They provide an efficient and inexpensive solution for space tasks such as low-resolution observation, communication to the ground, atmospheric research, proving the effectiveness of hardware or software in space. Until a few years ago, most of these satellites revolved around the Earth like stones in space and without the ability to maneuver. From the moment the electric propulsion technology was implemented, many advantages have been added to the nano-satellites: their lifespan has been extended, their weight has increased, they can be placed in a cluster and maintain its height, their trajectory and height can be changed, they can join larger satellites and more. The range of possibilities has suddenly increased.
![NASA's proposed ARM asteroid capture mission [Note: The Trump administration proposed canceling the mission in its 2018 budget proposal]. Source: NASA.](https://www.hayadan.org.il/images/content3/2017/04/arm-arv-transit_0-500x281.png)
Electric propulsion technology brings benefits not only to the field of satellites orbiting the Earth but also to spacecraft to other planets. For example, the spacecraft the boss, sent by the Japanese space agency JAXA about ten years ago, flew to a distant asteroid, landed on it, collected a sample from the asteroid and returned with it to Earth after overcoming many failures. The spacecraft's mission was carried out solely thanks to the high maneuverability provided by its electric ion engines. The American space agency, NASA, is currently working on its future flagship mission, ARM, in which a space vehicle will drag an asteroid into orbit around the Earth for research. This ambitious mission can be carried out thanks to a large and powerful electric motor that will allow an asteroid with a mass of hundreds of tons to be towed. Until a few years ago, no one would have thought of sending a space vehicle to attach to a huge rock in space and drag it to Earth. There were simply no space engines capable of doing this. But today, thanks to electric motors of the type Hall that produce high thrust in space, this is possible. [Note: Trump administration offered to cancel the ARM mission in his 2018 budget proposal]
Who knows what other uses will be found for such a groundbreaking type of space technology. One thing is certain - the sky is not the limit.
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And another important option:
This engine is seen as a possible answer to asteroids and comets threatening to hit Israel.
It is added to a series of possible solutions that will be available to the team that will handle such a catastrophe.
Yes, stupid wars, as if you don't have millions of crazy people in the world who want to destroy Western culture, in exchange for the dream of a caliphate... I'm sure that if we close our eyes really tight, the Western world will be quiet and safe.
In Europe, only Trump announced that he would walk away from NATO to nothing where the balls were shaking..
Because they understand that they are a paper tiger, and without a protective USA... Russia and the Arabs will make a salad out of them.
The world is always in a clash of cultures... any culture that takes itself for granted and ignores the dangers is destroyed.
It is my dream and that of every intelligent person, that we will reach the long-awaited peace and all the nations of the world will be able to cooperate and make the world a better place.
But at the same time I am aware that there are other cultures that are not ready to accept Western culture... and no, they do it not through persuasion but through jihad, and it is important to make it clear to them that in our culture this is not acceptable.
A small miscalculation and that asteroid hits the Earth, the Americans freaked out
Lad.
At the moment it is mainly about engines based on the Hall effect. Search for "plasma engine"
In wikipedia.
"Electric propulsion is based on the principle of fuel acceleration in electric fields" - this is interesting, but apart from this sentence we did not get a detailed idea about electric propulsion - why it happens and how it is achieved in practice. Too bad. The author should elaborate.
Or, less billions for stupid wars (and ego, a lot of ego, because we need the biggest army, and the newest planes/submarines)
Nice .
And regarding the unnecessary populist comment in this article.
Canceling budgets for space research will only help humanity.
NASA is the most wasteful and ostentatious body that exists in the world.
With all due respect to scientific curiosity, it is fitting that in a world where there are so many people dying of hunger and disease, more budgets should be given to what happens on Earth and less to what happens in space.