Weekend Project: Ionic Space Thruster

Ionic thrusters sound like something straight out of science fiction, like the engines used to power Star Destroyers at and sub-light speeds. But the reality is, with just a high-voltage transformer and a couple of copper pipe fittings, you can make your own desktop space engine.

[captainobvious]

Mine produced 5, 000 pounds of thrust. Am I doing something wrong?

[Jordanwatkins]

You can find the tools you need at Radio Sha- oh wait...

[FutureAIDev]

For safety around the high voltage, it would also be a good idea to build a clear acrylic housing/nacelle around it, with a central tunnel for the airflow.

[Mctrippa]

"Make sure you are not alone when testing the thruster" Is this in case I accidentally open a wormhole in my garage?

[warlocks]

Finally a GOOD MAKE Magazine project. Great video guys. Loved it.

[nitaiflick]

Great project. A few words of caution:
1. Don't actually leave something with this voltage level on your desktop
2. This creates ozone, so if you ignored warning #1 and decide to use it as a desktop fan, you will be creating a breathing hazard; don't run it for extended periods.

[UndercoverFerret]

That is probably the shittiest soldering known to man.

[maximummarklee]

Nice project, but I would have been more impressed if you would have included a brief explanation of how it works and what the limitations are.

[jabrow]

My adaptation to this for is one of safety Firstly use shielded high voltage wire that you unwind into two sections and weld the the tubes and wrap around the nail heads. And prier to testing you should build a box out of 1" thick acrylic about three inches around the structure, with a vinyl screen at the end aligned with the output and another on each side. Finally I suggest using corrugated plastic instead of wood, with predrilled holes to add more precision and and to reduce the risk of fire.

[KraussEMUS]

How about one that can lift its power supply from the ground! It was considered impossible for an ion thruster, but not anymore. Just click on the purple channel icon to the left to see it fly.

[m]

Is there a way to increase the flow of air through the copper "honeycomb"? would you have to increase the size of the whole setup or put through more volts?

[themadrobot]

not an ionic thruster, that is a ion wind generator, big difference also that will make a concerning amount of ozone

[hominglightning]

just in case you didnt know you need a:

variable transformer,
drill,
hot glue gun,
7 copper nails,
blowtorch,
copper wire,
thin copper wire, (idk)
a small neon sign transformer,
a pipe cutter,
7+ inch copper pipe,
small brush,
solder flux,
2 or 1 wood panel(s)

[jaguarsrevenge]

"Make sure you are not alone..." That leaves out pretty much everyone who would actually do this! LOL

[zakburns]

TIE fighter is a acronym for Twin Ion Enging

[SD-tjdh]

How would you generate more thrust? what's the equation for this? more nails? more pipe? more voltage? how do the increments work?

[LDCi]

this is the same technology used in the very popular lifter experiments that used to be quite the rage many years ago. however most instructions warn of the risk of lung and throat cancer from prolonged breathing of the ionised air coming from these devices. I dont know how much of a risk really exists since ionised air is also used in many air purifiers but you might want to keep that warning in mind when building this contraption.

[GallileoPaballa]

I had no idea an air thrusting machine could be made of something so simple and with no moving parts!

[julianpetit]

Yay! Let's send a spaceship to Makemake!

[imranq]

Wow, this is fantastic. Although I'm really curious as to how it works? How come only copper is used for both the nails and the honeycomb cylinders? How does that create "wind" or "thrust"?