The two universities have formed a team to carry out theoretical and experimental research on the development of a new generation ion electric rocket engine.
Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University and the V.I. AF Mozhaisky developed an ionic electric motor.
The project is based on an effective technology for gas ionization in a vacuum using porous membranes.
Research is underway on the creation of electric rocket engines and entire propulsion platforms on their basis for carrying out transport operations in space and additionally launching vehicles from intermediate orbits into working ones. The relevance of this direction prompted the largest educational institutions of St. Petersburg – the A.F. Mozhaisky Military Space Academy and the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University to create a creative team for theoretical and experimental research on the development of a new generation ion electric rocket engine.
Nikolay Shunevich, senior researcher at the military institute of Viktor Martynov
To carry out the tests, the article says, high-voltage power supplies, a system for the dosed supply of a working fluid, and a device for evaluating the thrust force were created.
The laboratory sample has proven its performance on various types of fuel: xenon, helium, argon, SF6 and air. In the future, such an engine can be used for deep-space flights.
The results obtained formed the basis for a number of scientific works, publications, reports and patent research.
