Ion Engine (Noun)
Meaning
A type of reaction-propulsion engine to propel rockets in space; a stream of positive ions is accelerated to a high velocity by an electric field.
Classification
Nouns denoting man-made objects.
Examples
- The ion engine is a highly efficient propulsion system used in deep space missions due to its ability to achieve high speeds over time.
- NASA's Deep Space 1 spacecraft was the first to use an ion engine for propulsion when it was launched in 1998.
- Ion engines are ideal for long-duration space missions because they provide a continuous and gentle thrust over an extended period.
- The European Space Agency's SMART-1 mission successfully demonstrated the use of an ion engine for interplanetary travel in 2003.
- The Dawn spacecraft used an ion engine to travel to the asteroid belt and orbit the dwarf planet Ceres between 2011 and 2016.