Electrostatic thrusters for microgravity propulsion in a pressurized environment

Motivated by long-term human exploration missions which could benefit from robotic assistants, a prototype thruster based on an Ion-Drag Pump was developed. This thruster utilizes no consumable propellant. Its operated by ionizing the air it floats in. Such an engine only requires recharging of its electrical power in order to propel itself in a pressurized microgravity environment. The prototypes were modeled analytically in 1D, tested using a micro-scale, and then validated in 3D aboard the ZERO-G reduced gravity aircraft. The results demonstrated that an engine with an inlet area of 5cm² and a needle density of 1.0 needles/cm² can provide a thrust of at least 3mN with electrical inputs of 10kV and less than 100uA. The successful demonstration is a proof of concept and opens the possibility for future engines that could provide the desired thrust to support astronauts.