Neil Wallace: electrifying spacecraft propulsion

ESA propulsion engineer Neil Wallace explains how electric propulsion allows space mission designers to transcend the fundamental upper limits on performance set by conventional chemical thrusters to get to new destinations in space more rapidly – such as the planet Mercury. The 2018 BepiColombo mission is only possible in its present form because of its use of T6 ion thrusters, generating an order of magnitude more thrust than their standard equivalents.

For more information read Neil’s interview here: www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Engineering_Technology/Talking_technology/Electrifying_spacecraft_propulsion

For more Talking Technology:
http://www.esa.int/talkingtechnology