Alan Pearce said
> One of my colleagues is working on an instrument that is going on an ion
> propelled spacecraft, to go into orbit around the moon. The ion motor will
> be used to accelerate the spacecraft in orbit around the earth until the
> orbit is eventually large enough that the spacecraft is captured by the
> moons gravitational force. It will take something like 18 months to reach
> the moon!
>
> This particular spacecraft (known as Smart1) is a demonstration one for
the
> use of ion motors. I believe the successor to it will be used to go and
> explore other planets.


Google search using smart-1 and ion to get almost 500 hits.



                RM

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