>The International Space Station, for instance, consumes over four tonnes of fuel annually to stay in its near-Earth orbit. If powered by ion thrusters, its consumption would drop to 400kg (881lbs), requiring just one refuelling mission a year, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
>The Chinese team have been testing the thrusters to the limit to ensure the engines can withstand the damage caused by the particles well enough to be used safely in manned missions. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the ion drive has burned non-stop for 8,240 hours – or more than 11 months – without a glitch, an indicator that they can easily meet the Chinese space station’s designated 15-year lifespan.
>To protect the engine from erosion, researchers put a magnetic field over the engine’s inner wall to repel damaging particles. Chinese scientists have also created a special ceramic material designed to remain stable for a long time in the face of extreme heat or radiation.
>Few other countries in the world have the technology because ceramics crack easily, and it took a team of material scientists in Liaoning province decades of research to find a solution, according to the academy.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3135770/how-chinas-space-station-could-help-power-astronauts-mars
>The Chinese team have been testing the thrusters to the limit to ensure the engines can withstand the damage caused by the particles well enough to be used safely in manned missions. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the ion drive has burned non-stop for 8,240 hours – or more than 11 months – without a glitch, an indicator that they can easily meet the Chinese space station’s designated 15-year lifespan.
>To protect the engine from erosion, researchers put a magnetic field over the engine’s inner wall to repel damaging particles. Chinese scientists have also created a special ceramic material designed to remain stable for a long time in the face of extreme heat or radiation.
>Few other countries in the world have the technology because ceramics crack easily, and it took a team of material scientists in Liaoning province decades of research to find a solution, according to the academy.
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3135770/how-chinas-space-station-could-help-power-astronauts-mars
