Earth To Orbit and In Space Propulsion Systems: ION Drive Technology

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Earth To Orbit and In Space Propulsion
SystemsION Drive Technology

• Jason Jayanty and Randy Parrilla
• Mentors
• Dr. Siva Thangam and
• Professor Joseph Miles

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Ion Drive Technology

• Ion Propulsion works by giving a positive charge
  to atoms inside the chamber using the shuttles
  solar panels, magnetically pulling them towards
  the rear of the ship, and then thrusting them out
  through repulsion.
• On the way out, electrons are also emitted from
  the shuttle so to re-neutralize those positively
  charge atoms and not cause damage
• to the surroundings.

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Advancing ION Drive

• The Ionizing Chamber in an ION Drive system is
  composed of a radiation system. This system
  shoots out radiation (usually in the form of
  X-Rays and other invisible light) at the gas
  particles which in turn ionizes them into a
  positively charged atom and an electron.
• If we can make the radiation system smaller by
  having an even smaller energy creation source ,
  that way we can provide for a more powerful x-ray
  while using the same or smaller amount of energy.

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Advancing ION Drive (Cont)

• Another way to increase the strength of our ION
  Drive, we would need to increase the speed at
  which the X-Rays hit the particle (more speed
  means more kinetic energy KE ½MV2). The Law
  of Conservation of Energy tells us that most of
  that energy will be transferred to the particles.
• Todays particle accelerators are very large and
  use an immense amount of energy. We plan on using
  an X-Ray turbine like system for accelerating
  these particles because the LINAC is insanely
  large and would not fit in our shuttle.

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Lithium Reactions for ION Drive

• Electric Propulsion Plasma Dynamics Laboratory
  at Princeton University is involved in the fields
  of Electric and Advanced propulsion systems,
  plasma dynamics, astronautics, and space plasma
  physics
• Uses system similar to Ion Drive called Lorentz
  Force Accelerator
• Chemical reaction between Lithium and Hydrogen to
  create thrust (Lithium Hydroxide/Hydrogen/heat)
• We can use this as Hydro-Carbon like thrust as
  well as create ions for the ion drive technology.

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Vehicle Designs

• Design 1 (X-33 Style)
• Our first design is a simple, wide, and
  aerodynamic craft that would contain the ION
  Drive system at the rear of the craft. On top of
  the craft would be multiple solar panels that can
  be used to power the ion chamber.
• This design would allow for us to carry a large
  amount of materials and payload as well as a
  higher number of people. This spacecraft is
  aerodynamic as to be able to fly in the Earths
  atmosphere at the speed of a regular commercial
  aircraft (approx 500-600 MPH)

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Vehicle Designs (cont)

• Design 2 (X-43 Style)
• Our second design is a more streamlined
  spacecraft that is capable of traveling at
  supersonic speeds in the Earths atmosphere
  making this design more well rounded. The ION
  Drive system would be located at the bottom of
  the ship and the Hydrocarbon rockets (2 of them)
  would be located on either side of the ION Drive
  system. Solar panels would again be located on
  the top of the craft.
• This design allows for more speed on Earth and
  makes it easier to break through the atmosphere.
  However, there would be less space for payload on
  this craft.

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Tile System

• The shuttles tile system is an advancement on
  the original shell design. When the craft would
  re-enter the Earths atmosphere, the entire shell
  would have to be removed and replaced.
• The tiles however are falling off because of
  improper gluing techniques and weak/melted
  adhesive. We plan on fixing the glue by creating
  a new form of the adhesive that can withstand
  higher temperatures as well as cooling the entire
  tile system.

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Cooling System

• We would like to run liquid nitrogen around the
  shell of the shuttle (just beneath the tiles).
  The liquid nitrogen would be held in a container
  inside of the shuttle and upon launch and
  re-entry, the nitrogen would be released through
  porous into its system so to cool down the
  temperature of the tiles as well as the adhesive.
• This has already been tried before
• however we feel that we can further
• advance this technique and cool down
• the tiles and adhesive on the shuttle.

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Our Plans for 2006-2007

1. Advance the ION Drive System
2. Create a new tile system for the shuttle
3. Find a method of cooling the tile system for the
   shuttle
4. Construct a model of the hybrid design
5. Enter our design into different competitions
   (held in Langley, VA)

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Special Thanks

• Dr. Siva Thangam
• Prof. Joseph Miles
• Dr. Frank Scalzo
• Dr. Elizabeth Rudolph
• Stevens Institute of Technology
• NYCRI
• NASA
• NJSGC