The Double Asteroid Redirection Test is a NASA mission that will try to determine if we can stop an asteroid from hitting Earth.
NASA is using the craft to test out a brand new ion drive technology, which is straight out of a science fiction movie.
The Evolutionary Xenon Thruster-Commercial uses solar power to create an electrical field. The stream of ion jets will be harnessed by the field's speed of up to 90,000 mph.
Slow but steady.
It is not a big step up in power. A small, fuel-based rocket engine can produce a much larger amount of thrust.
Next-C is still a major step up in power over previous ion propulsion systems used for other NASA missions.
The goal is to demonstrate that DART are capable of propelling themselves on solar energy alone by firing their thrusters for months or even years at a time.
The DART spacecraft will be able to accelerate up to 15,000 mph before hitting the asteroid thanks to the lack of resistance.
It is an exciting prospect. Deep space probes are the perfect testbed for ion drives, as they can be used to evaluate the feasibility of deep space exploration.
NASA's asteroid-slamming mission will test a new ion drive system.
DART: Massive Asteroid That Could Obliterate Earth to Fly By.
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