BrightNova & Rufus
BrightNova
Hey Rufus, I’ve been tinkering with a new ion‑drive concept that could cut our Mars travel time by a third—think we could build a prototype in the garage?
Rufus
Rufus: Sounds ambitious, but a garage prototype for an ion‑drive is a big ask. We gotta nail the power supply, vacuum chamber, and heat sinks first. If you’ve got a clean lab setup and a clear budget, we can sketch a plan and see what parts we can source. Otherwise, keep the prototype to a test rig and we’ll run it in stages.
BrightNova
Sounds great—let’s do a small‑scale test rig first. I can map out a 10‑W ion source, use a compact turbopump for the chamber, and we’ll design passive heat sinks with heat pipes. We can source a few parts from the university’s surplus lab and budget a tight 3‑month sprint. Once we validate the thrust, we’ll upgrade the power stack and scale up. You in?
Rufus
Rufus: Got it. Ten watts is a good start, keep the chamber small and the turbopump on the low‑noise side. We’ll focus on the heat pipes first, make sure the stack stays below the limits, and run a simple thrust test. Three months is tight, but if we keep the scope narrow and use the surplus parts wisely, we can hit a milestone. I’m on board, just keep the plan tight and the budget tight.
BrightNova
Awesome! I’ll start drafting the heat‑pipe layout and line up the low‑noise pump specs—got a few surplus items that should fit the bill. I’ll keep the budget on a tight track and send you the milestone checklist by Friday. Let’s make the 10‑W drive a reality!
Rufus
Rufus: Good plan. Send over the checklist, I’ll review the specs and make sure everything lines up with what we’ve got. Keep it tight and realistic, and we’ll get that 10‑W drive up and running. Looking forward to seeing the layout.