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Some spacecraft propulsion methods such as solar sails provide very low but inexhaustible thrust; [32] an interplanetary vehicle using one of these methods would follow a rather different trajectory, either constantly thrusting against its direction of motion in order to decrease its distance from the Sun, or constantly thrusting along its ...
The fission sail is a type of spacecraft propulsion proposed by Robert Forward that uses fission fragments to propel a large solar sail-like craft.It is similar in concept to the fission-fragment rocket in that the fission by-products are directly harnessed as working mass, and differs primarily in the way that the fragments are used for thrust.
Non-rocket spacelaunch refers to theoretical concepts for launch into space where much of the speed and altitude needed to achieve orbit is provided by a propulsion technique that is not subject to the limits of the rocket equation. [1] Although all space launches to date have been rockets, a number of alternatives to rockets have been proposed ...
The first test of electric propulsion was an experimental ion engine carried on board the Soviet Zond 1 spacecraft in April 1964, [16] however they operated erratically possibly due to problems with the probe. [17] The Zond 2 spacecraft also carried six Pulsed Plasma Thrusters (PPT) that served as actuators of the attitude control system. The ...
Nuclear propulsion includes a wide variety of propulsion methods that use some form of ... A Survey of Nuclear Propulsion Technologies for Space Applications, A ...
Spacecraft propulsion [note 1] is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. Orbital launch systems are rockets and other systems capable of placing payloads into or beyond Earth orbit. All launch vehicle propulsion systems employed to date have been chemical rockets falling into one of three main categories:
Quantum drive propulsion system draws ‘limitless power’ from the Sun – but some physicists say it is impossible SpaceX launches “limitless” ‘zero fuel’ engine into space Skip to main ...
A Bussard ramjet, one of many possible methods that could serve to propel spacecraft. Interstellar travel is the hypothetical travel of spacecraft between star systems.Due to the vast distances between the Solar System and nearby stars, interstellar travel is not practicable with current propulsion technologies.