Whats the biggest problem with conducting research on electric thrusters?
Other than learning the complex theories governing plasma physics, the biggest problem is test facilities. Electric rocket engines are designed to work in space under vacuum conditions. Creating these conditions on earth requires enormous vacuum tanks and pumping systems that are incredibly expensive. What is research on these rockets trying to accomplish? It’s easy to get any of these engines to produce thrust. What most people are working on is finding the optimum electrode shape to maximize electric efficiency and discovering materials that maximize thruster life. The currents are so great in many of these engines that the electrodes tend to erode. I sincerely hope you enjoyed this page and found it interesting. If you have any specific questions about electric rocket engines, I’ll be happy to do my best to answer them. Just send me an email.
