Soft, Strong and Very Long-Lasting: Space Electric Propulsion

Yours truly is giving the 24th IMechE Aerospace Division AGM lecture on Monday 24 October.

The chemical propulsion systems used to launch rockets and propel and control most spacecraft are familiar to most people. Electric propulsion (EP) is much less well known, using electricity to accelerate a propellant. Although the thrust developed by EP systems is much less than that produced by conventional rocket engines, the exhaust velocity is many times higher. This makes EP potentially very attractive for a wide range of missions from precise positioning of satellites to propelling spacecraft to the outer solar system.

The talk will describe the many EP technologies in use and under development and outline some missions that have applied them and will do so in the future and willstart at 6.00pm, with refreshments available from 5:15pm.

The talk is free to attend and open to all. To book your place, contact Robyn Wyncoll on 020 7973 1304 or email r_wyncoll@imeche.org.