Ion propulsion is a proven technology for spacecraft. But the same principles could create quieter aircraft for use on Earth. Added bonus: No emissions.
Ion engines are the best technology for sending spacecraft on long missions. They’re not suitable for launching spacecraft against powerful gravity, but they require minimal propellant compared to rockets, and they drive spacecraft to higher velocities over extended time periods. Ion thrusters are also quiet, and their silence has some scientists wondering if they could use them on Earth in applications where noise is undesirable.
Barrett’s been interested in an ion propulsion system for many years. In 2018 Barrett and colleagues published an article in the journal Nature titled “” Solid-state propulsion systems have no moving parts, so they’re very quiet. The power for flight comes from electroaerodynamics, where electricity moves ions and provides propulsion. Barrett and colleagues call the flow of ions the “ionic wind.” They’ve used it to propel a small test aircraft on steady, stable flights.
Barrett’s been further developing the idea for a solid-state electroaerodynamic aircraft since publishing the paper in 2018. Now he’s working with the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program. In an article from Feb. 7, 2022, Barrett explained the current state of the idea. Ion propulsion benefits from being silent, but it also has a drawback. It generates a low initial thrust. In space travel, this isn’t a problem. For example, NASA used a powerful conventional rocket to launch theirfrom Earth because conventional rockets develop enough thrust to reach escape velocity. But once DART left Earth and its gravity behind, it used an ion drive for propulsion.
These conceptual drawings illustrate some of the thinking behind VTOL EAD thrusters. In each drawing, the box-shaped components produce the thrust. A and B are similar to the model used in test flights, while the two lower drawings illustrate other design concepts. Image Credit: Steven Barrett. Barrett’s thinking big, though. While EAD propulsion limits aircraft size at first, subsequent iterations could be larger, more powerful, and carrier heavier payloads, including passengers. “This effort would be in support of the long-term goals to build and fly an MSD-powered aircraft, and to assess the applicability of MSD thruster technology to other AAM use cases, including intra- and intercity passenger transport,” Barrett says.
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