http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:34AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:36AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 21st 2009 8:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:59AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
How long until we get full on TIE Fighters? ]]>Oct 20th 2009 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 12:25PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 12:30PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 4:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 4:37PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 21st 2009 2:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:16AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.oakley.com/pd/1275]]>Oct 20th 2009 11:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 22nd 2009 5:42PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:35AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
It's not really any different than what we've been doing for a hundred years or more; dump mass in one direction to move in the opposite.

It's just that this version is much, much more efficient than the old "explosively expanding gas". ]]>Oct 20th 2009 10:45AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:48AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
This means Ion thrusters are great for small deep space probes, but horrible for large human missions where lots of support systems, structures, and test equipment would have to be carried.

What we really need is a very small light craft (Ion propelled) to carry the crew and a massive traditional chemical rocket / nuclear rocket to carry the equipment out a year before. That would work...
]]>Oct 20th 2009 10:55AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/oh man..]]>Oct 20th 2009 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:54AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
If you are not happy with waiting that long, you are certainly free to adopt a hybrid solution: an expensive chemical rocket to get the ship going to some velocity, then switch to ion propulsion to continue the trip. It'll be like changing gears in a stick-shift car. However, at what point does this become more time efficient versus more fuel efficient, versus (again) more cash-flow efficient?

See, this is the major beef I have with people who use the term "efficient". "Capitalism encourages efficiency!" No it doesn't -- at least, not on the global scale. It encourages FISCAL efficiency, but that's it. "Using chemical rockets is more efficient for big payloads!" No it isn't -- at least in terms of fuel economy. But it is in terms of time efficiency. And so on.

Please, when you use the word "efficient", remember that it implies you're comparing at least two things against each other. Be specific in what you're comparing; it'll help you avoid the trap of making blanket statements that prove to be false.
]]>Oct 20th 2009 12:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
That's a pretty smart plan. But if we give it time, I'm sure NASA or someone will be able to improve or even modify the design to work with heavy ships in the future. But until then, your plan sounds perfect. I actually think I saw a documentary stating that NASA was thinking something along these lines anyways...]]>Oct 20th 2009 2:45PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Sorry to nitpick. Plasma IS made of molecules. Plasma is when some of a molecule's electrons are disassociated from the nucleus.

]]>Oct 20th 2009 3:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Tell me when they invent hyperdrives or starslips or teleportation or whatever they call it.]]>Oct 20th 2009 3:10PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Molecules don't have nuclei, but atoms do.]]>Oct 20th 2009 3:18PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
On the other hand my sister who is a nurse has fit's every time I use the term 'plasma'. She thinks the medical field has some sort of proprietary right to the word.]]>Oct 21st 2009 3:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Plasma CAN be produced from molecules along with single atoms.

I worked for ten years on Ion Implanters which created plasma from a variety of gases and accelerated molecules such as BF2 (Boron Diflouride). Although the dopant needed was only the Boron atom the BF2 atom is accelerated (as individual ions pulled from the plasma) so that the much larger molecule does not "channel" as deep into the wafer.

To recap: A plasma can be created from a group of multi-atom molecules and those molecules can be pulled intact from that group for acceleration.

What a great job that was. I now work on Epi Reactors which, while fascinating, pale in comparison to the technology and headache-producing problems associated with them.]]>Oct 21st 2009 4:49PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:38AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:43AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Your tinfoil hat is loose.]]>Oct 20th 2009 10:57AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:11AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Do you really believe that if NASA had "antigravity" technology, that we would still be limping along with decrepit space shuttles? Do you really believe that NASA would continue to keep this sort of thing a secret as they get castigated in public about their plan to "retrest from space" for 5-7 years until the "next generation" rockets are available.

And by "next generation rockets, I really mean pre-last generation.

Unfortunately, NASA isn't sitting on these type of scientific advances. I wish they were.]]>Oct 20th 2009 11:14AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 12:13PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 7:04PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe that's idea behind Cherenkov radiation.]]>Oct 20th 2009 8:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Oh I really wish that what you say was true. I've read a lot of that stuff but have never seen anything convincing enough. If that was true it would mean that there would be a chance of that technology being uncovered, and put into use during my life time. It also would mean that I would have a chance of standing on Mars during my life time. As it is I remember as a very young child staying up all night in 1969 and watching all of the moon landing and knowing for a certainty that I would have the chance of living either on the moon or on Mars during my life. Now 40 some odd years latter I know that with current technology and the current ongoing lack of progress in spaceflight I hardly stand a chance of ever going to space. Even if I was in perfect health I would have to be a multimillionaire to even spend an extremely brief time there.

From that night in 1969 till now at the age of 47 I have woken up at night literally 100's of times right in the middle of a dream. A dream where I am in a space suit navigating along a triangular type spar (like a radio tower is made of). I have a canvas bag of tools and I'm checking connections as I go. I tilt my head up and Mars hanging there about 1/2 the apparent diameter of the moon from earth. And I'm thinking to myself "only two more weeks and we will be there". Then I wake up. I still regularly wake up to this same dream. Why I don't know but it still seems like I've been cheated.]]>Oct 21st 2009 4:00AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:39AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 3:02PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
We wont, but we will find the Prothean Technology and jump our tech 200 years forward. ]]>Dec 7th 2009 2:44PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:40AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 10:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Excuse my confusion, I'm a biochemist.]]>Oct 20th 2009 11:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:05AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/
Doesn't work that way either, using this sort of engine and the speed it is capable of producing the acceleration would have to be gradual. Human body has certain tolerances that have to accounted for.

If the spaceship could negate all G force that would be exerted onto the passengers of said vessel, then yes, more engines would create faster acceleration meaning you would reach your destination faster. But, till we figure out how to counter the effects of G force acceleration is our biggest obstacle. I don't know how G force is in space, never been, but if there are minimal to no effects, then once the vessel broke out of earth's gravity then, theoretically, you could accelerate using both engines to the top speed faster, but not enough to shave a whole 19 days off the trip.

More isn't always better though.]]>Oct 20th 2009 11:23AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/http://www.engadget.com/2009/10/20/ion-propulsion-engine-could-take-you-to-mars-within-39/Oct 20th 2009 11:33AM