Question: I want to know more about your work please.

Charlie Ryan answered on 16 Mar 2011:

hi charlescharliecharles that’s a very good name. Three times better than mine!
I’m working on testing a small thruster for spacecraft. and i mean small – the nozzle of the thruster is about 10 microns – that’s 10 millionths of a metre!! It’s a type of spacecraft ion thruster – you might of heard of these from films like star wars. They produce ions which are then accelerated to produce tiny thrusts of millionths of newtons (that’s like the weight of a millionth of an apple on your hand!). Sorry that a lot of millionths! But these thrusters are really efficient and that makes them useful.
The idea is to use them to move small spacecraft arounf in orbit, and also possibly to the moon! At the moment i am testing them in a vacuum chamber which simulates space.

I hope that helps – if you want to know please ask!