A bit of Star Wars trivia: George Lucas named the fearsome Imperial spaceships “TIE Fighters” because he thought they looked like bow ties. Because that’s a bit silly, someone decided that TIE, in-universe, stands for “twin ion engine.” While that sounds completely made up, propulsion systems that require ions are a real thing. Contributor Briley Lewis explains how ion-based devices, known as Hall thrusters, will power NASA probe Psyche on its 2-billion-mile journey. What’s even more cinematic—as Psyche zips through the solar system, its thrusters will glow a hot blue. -Ben Guarino, Associate Science Editor |
