| 摘要 |
A method for providing thrust to a space borne vehicle uses an ion beam current to deliver a continuous stream of mass to the vehicle. The mass stream is decelerated thereby transferring its momentum to the vehicle as thrust. The vehicle reaccelerates the mass stream projecting it back to it origin, and thus receives further thrust in reaction to the departing mass stream. The mass stream may be set up between two particle beam accelerators so that thrust is realized by both accelerators, or the beam may be merely received continuously by one accelerator. In both cases the thrust may be used for deep space acceleration to high velocities by a vehicle not carrying fuel or propellant and not near any natural energy source.
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