An engine that dramatically outperform all existing alternatives at the lab bench is fix to be tested in blank space . In the week that Elon Muskannounced plansto beam human race to Mars , the news could be an authoritative step towards making that vision material .
TheNeumann Driveis an ion engine make up byDr Patrick Neumannof the University of Sydney . It applies an galvanic arc to metals , ionizing the vaporization produced and using an electric orbit to propel the ions to make jab . Using magnesium , the most efficient alloy he tried , Neumann achieved 50 percent more impulse than NASA’sHigh Power Electric Propulsion(HiPeP ) – the previous record holder .
So far , Neumann ’s work , recently published inApplied Physics Letters , is all laboratory establish , but yesterday Airbus Defence and Spaceconfirmedplans for a year - long mental test of the drive on the International Space Station ( ISS ) , launch in 2018 .
provide Neumann ’s engine perform as expected , it has the potential drop to make many sorts of space flight cheaper and easier . Ion thrusters do not bring home the bacon nearly enough thrust to launch a craft into infinite , except from very low - gravitation objective like small asteroids .
Once a craft is in distance , however , they are very efficient , allow satellite to maneuver or probe to navigate to other major planet , for a fraction of the fuel of chemic projectile - power vehicles . With the Neumann Drive being so much more efficient , it could make possible missions that are currently unaffordable .
Neumann ’s engine is design for small satellites or probes to other planets , but his carbon monoxide gas - writer Professor Marcela Bilek tell IFLScience that “ the system is quite compact and modular , so there is no reason you could n’t habituate multiple ones in parallel of latitude , ” making it ideal for ships large enough to carry world to the planets .
Bilek , in whose lab the prototype was built , said that much of the twelvemonth since IFLSciencefirst reportedon Neumann ’s piece of work has been accept up with negotiating to get the locomotive engine launch , but in the lag the science has not stood still . “ Now we understand why magnesium is the best fuel – back then we did n’t sleep together why it outstrip other light metals , ” she say .
Magnesium ’s advantage is that it turn straightaway from a solid into an easy - to - ionise ( make electrically charged ) vapor , which can be fire backwards , provide forward thrust . Some other lightheaded metals melt instead , leave liquid droplet that are of little use for these purpose .
Nevertheless , one of the slap-up vantage of Neumann ’s machine is that it can utilise any metallic element , even if some are good than others . succeeding commission to asteroids , for model , could mine what they need for the issue journeying . erstwhile artificial satellite could be captured and put to utilize , abbreviate the threat ofspace junkin the outgrowth .
Bilek told IFLScience humble modifications want to be made to the thruster before it is ready for launch , but these should easy be fill out by mid-2017 , with the launch set for December 2018 .
