RAM-EP: ESA Air Breathing Ion Thruster (electrical ramjet)

[Grey Havoc]

World-first firing of air-breathing electric thruster

In a world-first, an ESA-led team has built and fired an electric thruster to ingest scarce air molecules from the top of the atmosphere for propellant, opening the way to satellites flying in very low orbits for years on end.

www.esa.int

Air-Breathing Thruster Paves Way for Never-Ending Space Missions at Earth and Mars

For the first time, the European Space Agency has tested a novel air-breathing electric thruster that could allow near-Earth orbiting satellites to stay in space almost indefinitely.

www.space.com

ESA test-fires electric ion thruster that could run satellites on thin air

While ion thrusters are a promising propulsion method for future spacecraft, their working life is limited by the amount of propellant they can carry. Now, scientists at ESA and Italian space company SITAEL have test-fired a new type of "air-breathing" electric thruster that could keep satellites…

newatlas.com

Atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Rhinocrates]

Somewhat related perhaps?

JP Aerospace

 

[Grey Havoc]

Could be possible synergies there.

 

[Hobbes]

Somewhat related perhaps?

JP Aerospace

Ion engines don't scale up to the power levels you need for a launch. The JP Aerospace design seems to use normal rocket engines.

 

[Rhinocrates]

Somewhat related perhaps?

JP Aerospace

Ion engines don't scale up to the power levels you need for a launch. The JP Aerospace design seems to use normal rocket engines.

The JP concept is a high-altitude lighter-than-air vehicle. It uses buoyancy to reach an altitude where air resistance is minimal and then takes a long time slowly building up speed as it rises further. The head of the company described the engines as "the world's weakest rockets and the most inefficient ion engines."

I'm in no position to judge whether it would work of course.

 

[publiusr]

Somewhat related perhaps?

JP Aerospace

Ion engines don't scale up to the power levels you need for a launch.

That looks to be changing with the Krypton powered H9 MUSCLE in yesterdays phys.org story "Plasma thrusters used on satellites could be much more powerful than previously believed." They jumped from 9-45 kilowatts. Now-even if this still cannot be used in an Airship TO Orbit...I could see two backspun-tethered HAVOK-LOFTID deals use this as an Airship FROM Orbit mission. Protective field inside, with krypton in an outer layer replaced with exhalations broken back down. Forget capsules. Voyager from trek lends itself to an airship...the Albatross even. Make surface area work for you.