“ ELECTRIC PROPULSION ” 1960s NASA SPACE RACE ELECTRIC THRUSTER CONCEPT ANIMATED FILM XD44974

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This 1960s color film (Ref. #HQ-96) produced for NASA’s Division of Educational Programs and Services by Technical Communications, Inc. of Los Angeles, California relies on limited animation to illustrate hypothetical means of early space exploration. Produced prior to the Apollo 11 moon landing of 1969, this educational short underscores the potential benefits of electrical propulsion engines over chemical and nuclear options and visualizes as-yet unrealized goals of the U.S. space program. (TRT: 23:32).
Animated illustrations: A starscape. Earth, with a spacecraft’s orbit encircling the planet before exiting the frame (0:07). A triangular spacecraft carrying a satellite dish antennae. A direct path of flight leads the slower second craft to reach Jupiter first (0:39). An artist’s rendering of a foreign planet’s surface (1:26). The NASA logo and opening titles: “Electric Propulsion” (1:35). A rocket shoots toward a distant planet. A booster rocket staged for takeoff from a tower on a launch pad (2:12). A spacecraft burns fuel, then jettisons a 2nd rocket stage (2:47). Mars and a passing satellite (3:26). A lunar landing module approaches the moon’s surface. Possible methods for transporting payloads of equipment to the moon in advance of a landing are conceptualized. Progressively larger rockets are outlined. In-flight refueling methods are imagined (4:01). Fiery rocket combustion engines burn fuel during NASA propulsion tests (5:16). A cutaway illustration of a nuclear reactor in a hydrogen-powered rocket (5:56). An electric propulsion engine is similarly depicted, emitting dotted rays of energy (6:22). An electric thruster engine illustrated in closeup. Text overlay: “Thrust x Time = Total Impulse” and calculation showing the slow and steady theory of electrical thrust economy (7:12). “Specific Impulse = Impulse/1lb. of fuel” (8:25). A flaming chemical rocket engine in cutaway, followed by a nuclear engine, and a more efficient electric engine (8:31). A graph shows a balance between electricity and fuel economy (9:11). An out-of-scale spacecraft approaches a planet (9:33). A solar cell power source connected to an electric engine (9:58). An electrothermal engine illustration depicts a burning arc. An electrothermal engine undergoes lab testing in an AVCO vacuum chamber (10:41). Montage of electromagnetic devices. An illustration of an electrostatic engine. An electrostatic engine from Hughes Research Laboratories (11:38). Engineers from Electro-Optical systems, Inc. at a large test console. An array of multiple engines is constructed (12:41). Engineers prepare a rocket engine for a fight test (13:45). Illustrations resume. A satellite. A path of orbit around Earth. A small engine. A communications satellite (14:26). An orbiting line spirals outward from Earth (15:31). The moon (15:51). The dome of an imaginary U.S. moon base (16:49). Silhouettes of many rockets prepared for launch side-by-side (17:08). A graph favors electrical propulsion (17:32). A manned Mars expedition is imagined, with five spaceships assembling while low in Earth’s orbit. The completed rhombus-shaped concept craft (18:22). A fleet of five such vehicles “for safety purposes” (19:30). A “piggyback” chemical vehicle detaches, lands on Mars, returns (20:18). Gloved hands adjust a beaker in a Hughes vacuum tube (20:59). Montage of engine systems in closeup. Review of previous animations (21:29). End credits. Written, produced, and directed by Leon Vickman; Art direction and animation by Fritz Miller and K. Bundy; Music by Jaime Mendoza-Nava (23:00).
This film was produced in cooperation with: NASA’s Lewis Research Center; Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL); AVCO Corporation; Electro-Optical Systems, Inc.; Hughes Aircraft Company.
Electric Propulsion (EP) is a class of space propulsion which makes use of electrical power to accelerate a propellant by different possible electrical and/or magnetic means. The use of electrical power enhances the propulsive performances of the EP thrusters compared with conventional chemical thrusters.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFi...

[@Vito_16]

Once again thank you periscope film Very informative video ..🙂

[@stevenpilling5318]

These guys knew exactly what their goals were and what to do. A modern film would have little change in content.

[@paulsemeraro]

I'm so glad i subscribed to this channel. Thank you for posting this! It was excellent.

[@moosebat47]

Ahhh, brings back memories. A lot of this work was done at the Lewis Research Center here in Cleveland back in the 60s. Ion engine technology was adapted for other uses also. We used a Kaufman type engine for ion etching experimental semiconductors.

[@KraussEMUS1]

There are a series of ion thrusters on my channel that are patented for lifting their power supplies against Earth's gravity. A greater than one to one thrust to weight ratio was impossible at the time of the above video but is now has been done verifiably. While the craft has carried additional propellant tanks for use in space, it currently uses ambient oxygen as a propellant. Since it can accelerate continuously at better than one g with extremely small amounts of propellant, it will reach extremely high velocities in space. The only problem is finding funding for the project.

[@Edwxrd69]

Are you talking about an ion thruster rocket? 😊

[@KraussEMUS1]

Yes, there are over 40 flight videos of various prototypes on my Ethan Krauss KZbin channel. @@Edwxrd69

[@jimhenry9936]

Great video. The technologies discussed here were made in the early 1960's. NASA still operates many of the space based designs now. It seems our fathers were smarter than we are.

[@antony716]

I agree, partly. Our country doesn't take math and science as seriously as it used to, but it's not like the older generations were all Einsteins.

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

NASA operates spacecrafts that rely solely ion or plasma drives? And I don't mean small correcting thrusters on sattelites like those that USSR used since the 70s. /Deep space and Dawn was one-off's/

[@chipolmstead9220]

Very awesome video!

[@derealfantom443]

Why does it suddenly feel like the 60s had more technology than today?

[@hobbyhermit66]

Wow, NASA! All this and round earth too.

[@a.i.gorerithmit456]

I love these old 'space' films, hilarious!

[@arcanondrum6543]

I hate these "smarter than you" videos because they *never* ponder the question : _Wait... HOW are we going to slow down again?_ The answer of course is. _"Double the electrical generation, double the gas propulsion payload and begin braking halfway to the destination..."_ Suddenly all that extra speed becomes another trade-off calculation. ...at least this video put me to sleep last night.

[@rexremedy1733]

I like this van Allen Belt. I am sure it looks cool to my pants. Where can I buy a Van Allen Belt?

[@captaincurd2681]

Van Allen Belt cause liver cancer.

[@rexremedy1733]

@@captaincurd2681 oh thats bad... I did not know that. Does this belt come with any other side effects? I am not surprised. Many things come with horrible side effects, but the manufacturers won’t acknowledge those side effects.

[@danbanks7930]

Okay and I'm sure it's all powered by some fancy nuclear fusion powered by banana peels right Doc Brown

[@stephenyurica9834]

The head of NASA just said it a week ago. 3 years to go and come back is a minimum man trip to Mars. Electric motors can do it in less than a year, there and back. The moon will be the big test for all competitors.

[@RuMacMac]

Elon must've seen this when he was a young lad. Not much has changed really, considering its 60+ yrs since this film was made. Do we have electric engines for space craft yet?

[@barryhopesgthope686]

In space right now is an Ion drive craft called DS-1 . It can problem solve and navigate itself.

[@Shojikitsune1]

It doesn' wanna come back either - it saw 2020 and said 'nope'

[@cirno9356]

so was this tech dropped or forgotten ? i mean electric engines for spacecrafts sounds quite nice

[@LiLi-or2gm]

The Dawn Mission spacecraft uses electric ion engines.

[@antony716]

@@LiLi-or2gm Ion thrusters aren't the same.

[@keithmoore5306]

still playing with it and getting about as far!! too many bitches about the nuclear part to go faster!!

[@hobbyhermit66]

I think it went kaput because EverReady couldn't supply enough batteries at the time.

[@willmfrank]

@@hobbyhermit66 Or maybe the cord wasn't long enough.

[@arcanondrum6543]

This 0:50 is incorrect. There is almost no friction in Space due to almost no atmosphere. Speed should remain steady due to Newton's first Law of Motion.

[@rexremedy1733]

What about using superconducting Klystron Vacuum Tubes to accelerate the Ions. I mean the same ones as are being used in particle accelerators.

[@PhaQ2]

Interesting concept. I think the energy required to accelerate ions might not yield enough force to justify their use.

[@rexremedy1733]

@@PhaQ2 thanks. That could be true. I only know these devices can accelerate particle in the GeV, even to the TeV range.

[@arnaldovieiracasseca1383]

Ola muito bom os vídeos assisto todos um abraço Jundiaí sp Brazil

[@bakfixx]

If this was proposed in the 1960s, you have to ask if it was ever actually developed and used in the last 60 years. I don't think that our true technological capacity is public knowledge...

[@yanikkunitsin1466]

9:48 "For missions to Pluto electric engine is the only engine that can deliver any payload at all" For star-gazing space age visioners they were quite shortsighted. They could imagine compact, lightweight, stable and safe nuclear sources of electricity but improved propulsion and more than one gravity assist was out of the question.

[@mpeg2tom]

While New Horizons made it to Pluto with just Jupiter gravity assist and no electric engines, it did take 9 years, and it was just a brief fly-by mission. BepiColombo will use ion thrusters (and gravity assists) to make it to Mercury (taking 7 years) and will go into orbit around the planet. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BepiColombo

[@arcanondrum6543]

@@mpeg2tom Pluto is more than 320 times farther away from Earth than Mercury is. If shaving just 2 years off of the travel time is supposed to impress me, it doesn't.

[@dsdy1205]

​@arcanondrum6543 Distance alone means remarkably little in space travel. It takes more fuel to get to Mercury than Pluto. It can take more time to get to the Moon than it might to Venus.

[@GorVala]

Sputnik 1 is there as well going beeb boop

[@keithmoore5306]

sputnik came down 2 years after it orbited!!

[@timmoles9259]

As a US Navy diver, I understand all of this. Worked underwater on Trident subs.

[@michelperez4100]

I’d assume the big toys are kept for the guys who know the rules of fight club. If we had the paper concept in the 60’s (probably already being used and tested) so I can imagine the more streamlined dark tech each branch engineered

[@antony716]

As a locksmith, I understand all of this, plus things not covered. Rockets and orbital mechanics are a hobby of mine.

[@eldergroan]

everyone signed a treaty forbidding the placement of nuclear reactors into orbit.

[@limabravo6065]

There aren't any treaties prohibiting reactors in orbit / space, several have been built and tested in orbit as recently as 2012, and nasa uses rtg's for many of its spacecraft (plutonium 238 heat is converted to electricity).

[@rexremedy1733]

They knew this 50 years before the actual Pluto mission. Either pretty prophetic, or a sign of retarded technical progress.

[@jamesbugbee6812]

Low impulse music; good for suspended animation. Would be asleep before leaving earth orbit.

[@michaelroth2783]

Everything went wrong the last 50 years We priorized luxury instead of space colonization If WW3 should break out before Elon Musk can put 1 million people on Mars, life from Earth will end All because of our shortsighted thirst for luxury

[@whirledpeas3477]

One ping only please

[@clayz1]

Let me guess. Nuclear power? Ion drive. Reaction mass.