Question about the Ion Thruster

[Kainchild]

Exactly how does the ion thruster rely on the laser in it's process exactly. I have been told that the ion thruster uses a laser but I wasn't given anymore information on what it exactly does.

 

[Drakkith]

I looked up ion thruster on Wikipedia and didn't see anything about a laser. Perhaps you misheard?

 

[Kainchild]

I looked up ion thruster on Wikipedia and didn't see anything about a laser. Perhaps you misheard?

Here's where I saw it:
http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/jp/Rf-type-ion-thruster/JP62178779.html

Please read it and tell me if I miss read it.

There's also this too that was on wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electrostatic_ion_thruster

 

[russ_watters]

It looks like from that abstract that the laser is just used to heat the fuel to ionize it. Note, that's different from how the wiki description works, which uses electron bombardment to ionize the fuel.

 

[pmacias]

The ion thruster relies on the laser for its process in a few different ways. First, the laser is used to ionize the propellant gas, typically xenon, by stripping electrons from its atoms. This creates positively charged ions that are then accelerated by the electric field within the thruster.

Second, the laser is used to heat the ions, increasing their energy and velocity. This is important because the thrust generated by the ion thruster is directly proportional to the exhaust velocity of the ions. By heating the ions with a laser, the exhaust velocity can be increased, resulting in a higher thrust.

Lastly, the laser is used to control the direction of the ion beam. By adjusting the laser's intensity and direction, the ions can be guided and focused in a specific direction, allowing for precise maneuvering of the spacecraft.

Overall, the laser plays a crucial role in the ion thruster's functioning, from ionization to propulsion and direction control. It is a key component in the advanced technology of ion propulsion systems.