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[Phoenix]

Washington, DC, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- A European Space Agency rocket entered moon orbit Monday in a unique mission using a pioneering power plant.

The s-called SMART-1 spacecraft blasted off from Kourou, French Guiana, Sept. 27, 2003, on top of an Ariane 5 rocket, the Washington Post reported.

Since then its ion propulsion engine has been slowly moving the spacecraft by expelling positively charged atoms, or ions, of the gas xenon, accelerated by an electrical field inside the spacecraft's engine.

The engine does not combust fuel; rather it splits atoms with electricity to get ions, accelerates them at high speed, and then ejects them, driving the spacecraft forward. SMART-1 generates its electricity by converting sunlight with outsize solar arrays that give the spacecraft a 45-foot wingspan.

Although ion propulsion does not generate much thrust, nothing slows it down in space so it constantly accelerates. Now that it has entered Moon orbit it will use the ion engine to slow down and study the lunar surface.

Source

 

[belgurdo]

SHOP SMART SHOP S-MART

 

[maharg]

Um, it uses electricity to "split atoms"? Is that strange, or do I just not know enough about the ways atoms can be split.

 

[MrPing1000]

EUROPE WILL CONQUER THE UNIVERSE. Sci-Fi agrees with me (sorta)

 

[Pfucata]

Maharg, you're just thinking about it the wrong way. You know the answer, you just don't realize that you know the answer.

They're not splitting the nucleus -- they're just separating the electrons from the proton/neutron nucleus. It's like a CRT gun in a way

 

[gofreak]

EUROPE WILL CONQUER THE UNIVERSE. Sci-Fi agrees with me (sorta)

But NASA had one of these in a craft a couple of years ago

But the ESA's might be better/cheaper/more efficient etc.

 

[sprsk]

they need to take a picture of the american flag.

 

[Koshiro]

they need to take a picture of the american flag.

Yes, FFS just to stop all the conspiracy theorists. Jesus.

 

[MrPing1000]

they need to take a picture of the american flag.

A Frenchman will be the first person on the moon

 

[The Bookerman]

How long till we see one of those?

 

[NohWun]

Um, it uses electricity to "split atoms"? Is that strange, or do I just not know enough about the ways atoms can be split.

Just google "xips".

For instance, http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bss/factsheets/xips/xips.html

 

[Jim Bowie]

How long till we see one of those?

Pretty long. Nobody plays that fucking game anymore.

 

[The Bookerman]

Pretty long. Nobody plays that fucking game anymore.

Fuckin?


It still owns.