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First Exotic Space Thruster Test Ends in Explosion

KentuckyFC writes "A NASA-funded test of an entirely new way to control orbiting satellites has ended with the prototype arcing dangerously and parts of the machine exploding. The new propulsion system is based on the Lorentz force: that a charged particle moving through a magnetic field experiences a force perpendicular to both its velocity and the field. So the plan is to ensure that a satellite passing though the Earth's magnetic field is electrically charged so as to generate a force that can be used to steer the spacecraft. The advantage of the idea is that it requires no propellant, which is a big deal since most satellites' lifespans are limited by the amount of fuel they can carry. But the first ground-based tests haven't gone entirely to plan."

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  1. Re:Good for them by DerekLyons · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    Just because you read slashdot does not mean you are not the most scientifically literate person on the planet.

    One doesn't have to be the most scientifically literate person on the planet to keep up with what NASA is doing. Not even close.
     
     

    I love people that pretend that it is.

    I did not 'pretend' anything, I simply stated bald facts. Ignorant jackasses like yourself may have a hard time telling the difference since they wallow in their ignorance and wear it as if was a badge of honor.
     
     

    Science is hard work and should not be trivialized.

    Ah, the final sign of a total ignoramus - throw in a statement that, while true, has absolutely nothing to do with the discussion. It makes the ignorant feel like they are smart, since they can parrot things they've read elsewhere, but to anyone with an education it merely reveals the shallowness of the jackass they are conversing with.