Space Propulsion Engines Using Tv Sets

Why are electrostatic engines not used to generate thrust to propel vehicles?

Electrostatic force are easy to generate as shown by numerous school experiments.

Charge particles are easy to accelerate to high speeds.

x-ray machines...tv tubes routinely accelerate charge particles like electrons to high speeds.

No doubt protons can be accelerated as well.

hydrogen gas is just a proton with a electron in orbit.

why can't a open ended tv tube be used as a engine?

simply increase the volume of charged particles being accelerated to high speeds.

in my house is an ionizer.

i can feel the ion wind against my hand .

i estimate it generates 1 milli newton thrust per needle.


why can't 10000 needles be used to generate 10 newtons of thrust?

or a billion needles to generate 10 million newtons of thrust?

Ion propulsion is not a new idea. The idea has been around for over 50 years now, and the first probes are being built that will use this new tech: NASA

Why couldn't we use TVs? Because they were not designed as propulsion systems - they are heavy, and the thrust produced would be minimal.

[edit on 3-2-2009 by C.H.U.D.]

That and EM propulsion needs matter in space or some sort of new insight to help react with dark matter. It either needs to react on a stationary object,(i.e. a planet or moon, which is REALLY WAY beyond our capabilities) or a LARGE supply of fuel. A better description would be to shove yourself off a wall in a pool underwater.

[edit on 3-2-2009 by djvexd]

There is already a probe out there that uses an Ion drive. Problem is that the thrust is incredibly weak, sort of like a car that gets 1000 mpg but takes 5 hours to go from zero to 60.

Deep Space 1

NSTAR Ion Engine

ESA SMART-1 Ion Engine

Ion Thruster

Inside the Ion Drive


Cheers!!!!

[edit on 3-2-2009 by RFBurns]

Originally posted by RFBurns
There is already a probe out there that uses an Ion drive. Problem is that the thrust is incredibly weak, sort of like a car that gets 1000 mpg but takes 5 hours to go from zero to 60.

Deep Space 1

NSTAR Ion Engine

ESA SMART-1 Ion Engine

Ion Thruster

Inside the Ion Drive


Cheers!!!!

[edit on 3-2-2009 by RFBurns]

i know but i am advocating meganewtons of thrust not that piddling whiff.

nasa is very committed to NOT using different propulsion methods.
in fact the new rocket is full of flaws.

60 years and nasa persists with chemical rockets.


what happened to that guy using micro wave ovens for thrust?

or that laser light reflected of a 1/2 silvered mirror using leds due to light having momentum...photonic thrust.

reply to post by esecallum


well?

and what happened to that guy using a solid state laser reflected a billion times to amplify the photonic thrust from light?