NASA / University of Bologna
European team is investigating the plasma generated from water to conceive a new type of electric propeller.
WET-Water-Based Electric Thrusters, a new research project from Horizonte Europe from the University of Bologna, aims to achieve Use water as a fuel for spaceships.
“With this project, we want to take a decisive step towards the normalization of sustainable propulsion technologiescapable of reducing the environmental impact of space missions and exploring the resources available in space, ”explains Fabrizio Pontiwhich coordinates the initiative, quoted by.
“Thanks to water, a versatile and environmentally friendly thruster, unprecedented possibilities can be opened for the exploration of deep space, with a concern for economic and environmental sustainability,” he adds.
The objective is to explore water as a propeller for space propellers, transforming it into plasma and using the electricity produced to generate kinetic impulse.
“The Wet project aims not only to develop innovative technology, but also to create a new vision for the future of space exploration,” says Ponti. “Thanks to the collaboration between Excellence institutions from around the worldwe can imagine a future in which access to space will be increasingly sustainable and democratic, opening new opportunities for research and industry. ”
The new propeller model will be designed to function in the range of 500 to 1000 watts of powerand will be particularly suitable for small satellites (smallsats). It will also have potential for applications in deep space.
Water -based propulsion is, in fact, a fundamental step in making space technologies more affordable and sustainable, a conquest that will also open the way to other possible applications in the future.
