NEW ION ENGINE WORKS

Space Daily reports that the modestly named PROJECT PROMETHEUS has cleared a big hurdle by sucsessfully testing a new type of ion engine.


The new engine has more thrust than pevious models powerful (at least 10 times as much) and two or three times as fuel effecient as previous designs.

Note that Ion engines, even this one have very low thrust. They can't for example, lift a rocket off a launch pad.

They are useful because they are so fuel efficent they can be left on for years allowing really tremendous speeds to be built up.

The nuclear powerplant will allow this to stay on for years and be used on a much bigger scale.

It is currently planned for the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter....which will, presumably orbit all of Jupiters moons except Io :)

Off to Europa....Yayyy!!!