Dish/Engine Systems
Dish/Engine Systems are a type of spacecraft propulsion system that uses a large dish-shaped reflector to focus sunlight onto a small engine, which then converts the solar energy into thrust. The dish is made up of many small mirrors that can be adjusted to track the sun and focus its rays onto the engine. The engine itself is typically a Stirling engine, which uses the heat from the concentrated sunlight to drive a piston and generate thrust. Dish/Engine Systems are highly efficient and can provide a lot of thrust for their size, making them ideal for small spacecraft or for use in deep space missions where traditional chemical rockets are not practical.
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