IX-6315 "Dawn" Electric Propulsion System

IX-6315 "Dawn" Electric Propulsion System
Ion engine by Ionic Symphonic Protonic Electronics
Radial size		Tiny
Cost	(total)	8 000.00
Mass	(total)	0.250 t
Drag		0.2
Max. Temp.		2000 K
Impact Tolerance		7 m/s
Research		Ion Propulsion
Unlock cost		16 800
Since version		0.18
Part configuration		ionEngine.cfg
Maximum thrust	(1 atm)	0.05 kN
	(vacuum)	2.00 kN
Isp	(1 atm)	100 s
	(vacuum)	4200 s
Fuel consumption		0.486 /s
Electricity required		8.74 ⚡/s
Testing Environments
On the surface		No
In the ocean		No
On the launchpad		No
In the atmosphere		No
Sub-orbital		Yes
In an orbit		Yes
On an escape		Yes
Docked		No
Test by staging		Yes
Manually testable		Yes
Packed volume		160 l

The PB-ION Electric Propulsion System is a tiny-sized engine which runs on electricity and xenon gas propellant. It's modeled after the real-world Hall effect thruster. Although it is a propulsion system, it can be found in the utility tab of the VAB and SPH.

Usage

This engine has a phenomenal fuel efficiency (4200 s I_sp), but very low thrust and requires an immense amount of electricity to operate. Xenon gas is provided by xenon containers like the PB-X150 Xenon Container. Electricity can be obtained using solar panels and radioisotope batteries. The amount of electricity needed to keep one ion engine running at full thrust is roughly equivalent to the output of one Gigantor XL Solar Array or 20 PB-NUK Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators.

Batteries can be used to store the electricity since there may be times the solar panels will be blocked from the Sun by objects or the dark side of celestial bodies.

The ion engine is good for fine tuning of orbits. It is also a popular propulsion method for planes on planets on which jet engines don't work. Due to its great fuel efficiency it is also well-suited for interplanetary travel, but maneuvers take a long time to complete due to its low thrust-to-weight ratio - it is advised to use it for very small craft, and to use physics-warp while propelling with it.

Ion-powered "ferries" may also be useful for moving fuel, oxidizer and/or kerbonauts between two larger vessels, by keeping the large craft at such range that only one of them is within draw distance from the "ferry" at any moment, performance loss can be avoided.

It is also generally more fuel-efficient to move fuel and oxidizer between two ships using a ferry than it would be to dock the larger crafts together using their own engines and RCS.

Because it uses only about 0.121 units of xenon per second, one PB-X50R Xenon Container with 400 units of xenon can supply the engine for more than 55 minutes. The other larger tank PB-X150 Xenon Container with 700 units of xenon has enough to supply the engine more than 96 minutes.

Electrical consumption

The game lists the electrical consumption as 12 E which is the electricity consumed for 0.1 xenon. To propel 1 xenon a electricity of 120 E is required. With the thrust and specific impulse the calculated fuel flow is 0.0121 kg/s or 0.1214 xenon/s which is more than the listed 0.1 xenon/second. So the electricity consumption is a bit higher at 14.562 E/s. As the I_sp given in seconds needs to be multiplied with a slightly higher acceleration than g₀ (= 9.81 m/s²) the actual I_sp in m/s is higher and therefore the xenon and electrical consumption is lower.

Description

“

By emitting ionized xenon gas through a small thruster port, the PB-ION can produce incredibly efficient propulsion, but with a downside of very low thrust and high expense. The general perception of this engine as being powered by "witchcraft" has unfortunately given it a sour reputation. — Ionic Protonic Electronics

”

Gallery

• Screenshot59.png

  A Solar Glider Ready for take-off. This ships uses ion engines.

• Screenshot51.png

  The Solar glider in action.

• 

  The Ion-Powered Space Probe stock craft an ion engine.

Changes

0.18

• Initial Release