Is ion wind a viable propulsion system?
Unlike the functionality of the Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thruster, the net force generated by an ion wind device does not rely on the momentum transfer between the charged and the neutral air molecules, but only on the impulse that the charged ions gain during their repulsion from the tip. It is analogous to recoil of a gun when it fires a bullet. Due to this property, ion impulse devices may find use in spacecraft propulsion, even though ion wind forces are much smaller than those of an EHD thruster operated in air.
