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1. Snake Girl Ellie (noelle@elekk.xyz)'s status on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2018 15:33:38 EST Snake Girl Ellie

   Steven Barrett's Version 2 is the first aircraft to fly in atmosphere using an "engineless" ion drive. It uses a set of electrified rails; the rail at the front has enough power that its field strips the electrons from atmospheric nitrogen atoms, and the rail at the back is negatively charged to attract the positive nitrogen ions, thereby pulling the aircraft through the air.

   https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/silent-and-simple-ion-engine-powers-a-plane-with-no-moving-parts/

   1. Downes 🍁 (downes@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2018 16:41:47 EST Downes 🍁

      in reply to

      @noelle @dajbelshaw I remember being enthralled by 'lifters' using the same principles from a number of years ago. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzZy1Aqleno

      1. ˗ˏˋ Doug Belshaw ˎˊ˗ 🇪🇺☠️✊ (dajbelshaw@mastodon.social)'s status on Wednesday, 21-Nov-2018 16:58:17 EST ˗ˏˋ Doug Belshaw ˎˊ˗ 🇪🇺☠️✊

         in reply to

         @Downes @noelle Oh wow, need to give that a try, if I can!