|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
NASA Great Images in Nasa Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Deep Space 1 in Cleanroom
Title
Deep Space 1 in Cleanroom
Title
|
|
Full Description:
|
|
Deep Space 1 was launched in October 1998 as part of NASA's New Millennium Program, which is managed by JPL for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. Deep Space 1 used a unique ion drive propulsion system. Unlike the fireworks of most chemical rockets using solid or liquid fuels, the ion drive emits only an eerie blue glow as ionized (electrically charged) atoms of xenon are pushed out of the engine. Xenon is the same gas found in photo flash tubes and many lighthouse bulbs. The almost imperceptible thrust from the system is equivalent to the pressure exerted by a sheet of paper held in the palm of your hand. The ion engine is very slow to pick up speed, but over the long haul it can deliver 10 times as much thrust per pound of fuel as more traditional rockets. Previous ion propulsion systems, like those found on some communications satellites, were not used as the main engines, but only to keep the satellites on track. Deep Space 1 is the first spacecraft to use this important technology as its primary means of propulsion. The importance of ion propulsion is its great efficiency," says Dr. Marc Rayman, project manager for Deep Space 1. "It uses very little propellant, and that means it weighs less so it can use a less expensive launch vehicle and ultimately go much faster than other spacecraft. This opens the solar system to many future exciting missions which otherwise would have been unaffordable or even impossible," added Dr. Rayman. The ion particles travel out at about 68,000 miles per hour. However, Deep Space 1 doesn't move that fast in the other direction, because it is much heavier than the ion particles. By the end of the mission, the ion engine will have changed the spacecraft's speed by about 6,800 mph (over 11,000 kph). The technology is so efficient that it only consumes about 3.5 ounces (100 g) of xenon per day, taking about four days to expend just one pound (0.4 kg). The Deep Space 1 ion engine could have a total operating time of more than 583 days (14,000 hours) by the end of its mission in the fall of 2001.
Full_Description
Deep Space 1 was launched in October 1998 as part of NASA's New Millennium Program, which is managed by JPL for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. The California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. Deep Space 1 used a unique ion drive propulsion system. Unlike the fireworks of most chemical rockets using solid or liquid fuels, the ion drive emits only an eerie blue glow as ionized (electrically charged) atoms of xenon are pushed out of the engine. Xenon is the same gas found in photo flash tubes and many lighthouse bulbs. The almost imperceptible thrust from the system is equivalent to the pressure exerted by a sheet of paper held in the palm of your hand. The ion engine is very slow to pick up speed, but over the long haul it can deliver 10 times as much thrust per pound of fuel as more traditional rockets. Previous ion propulsion systems, like those found on some communications satellites, were not used as the main engines, but only to keep the satellites on track. Deep Space 1 is the first spacecraft to use this important technology as its primary means of propulsion. The importance of ion propulsion is its great efficiency," says Dr. Marc Rayman, project manager for Deep Space 1. "It uses very little propellant, and that means it weighs less so it can use a less expensive launch vehicle and ultimately go much faster than other spacecraft. This opens the solar system to many future exciting missions which otherwise would have been unaffordable or even impossible," added Dr. Rayman. The ion particles travel out at about 68,000 miles per hour. However, Deep Space 1 doesn't move that fast in the other direction, because it is much heavier than the ion particles. By the end of the mission, the ion engine will have changed the spacecraft's speed by about 6,800 mph (over 11,000 kph). The technology is so efficient that it only consumes about 3.5 ounces (100 g) of xenon per day, taking about four days to expend just one pound (0.4 kg). The Deep Space 1 ion engine could have a total operating time of more than 583 days (14,000 hours) by the end of its mission in the fall of 2001.
Full Description
|
|
Date:
|
|
11/21/1997
|
|
NASA Center:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA_Center
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Center
|
|
Subject Category:
|
|
Space Probes
Subject_Category
Space Probes
Subject Category
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Space
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Propulsion
Keywords
Propulsion
Keywords
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
1
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Ion
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
New
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Program
Keywords
Program
Keywords
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Engine
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Deep
|
|
Keywords:
|
|
Millennium
Keywords
Millennium
Keywords
|
|
Audience:
|
|
General Public
Audience
General Public
Audience
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
FAST
facet_what
FAST
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Deep Space 1
facet_what
Deep Space 1
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
ion engine
facet_what
ion engine
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Deep Space Network (DSN)
facet_what
Deep Space Network (DSN)
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Washington
facet_where
Washington
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
California
facet_where
California
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
2001
facet_when
2001
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
October 1998
facet_when
October 1998
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
11-21-1997
facet_when
11-21-1997
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1997
facet_when_year
1997
facet_when_year
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1998
facet_when_year
1998
facet_when_year
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2001
facet_when_year
2001
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
JPL-29090
Image_#
JPL-29090
Image #
|
|
original_url:
|
original_url
original_url
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 0503
UID
SPD-GRIN-GPN-2000-00 0503
UID
|
|
Center:
|
|
JPL
|
|
Center Number:
|
|
JPL-29090
Center_Number
JPL-29090
Center Number
|
|
GRIN DataBase Number:
|
|
GPN-2000-000503
GRIN_DataBase_Number
GPN-2000-000503
GRIN DataBase Number
|
|
Creator-Photographer:
|
|
NASA
Creator-Photographer
NASA
Creator-Photographer
|
|
Original Source:
|
|
DIGITAL
Original_Source
DIGITAL
Original Source
|
