The ion drives of an Imperial-class Star Destroyer.
The Ion drive was a type of engine technology used to propel most starships at sublight velocities. Ion engines were fueled by power cells, liquid chemical reactants, onboard generators, or virtually any other device capable of providing sufficient power. The engine utilized internal fusion reactions to produce a stream of highly-charged particles that were forced through the engine's exhaust port at nearly the speed of light. Ion engines were sometimes called ion rockets.
Ion engines were known to emit mildly radioactive byproducts, requiring onboard technicians to wear protective gear. Because of this radioactivity, and the disabling effects that ions had on electronics and electrical systems, it was common protocol for most ships to utilize repulsorlifts for propulsion during atmospheric flight and reserve use of the more powerful ion drives for orbital navigation.
The most noted craft using ion drives were TIE Fighters, who received their name in accordance with the number of ion engines they used: Twin Ion Engine.
Models
Replacement Drives
- Arakyd Industries H-L Block ion drive
- Boshaa-C'hi Ion Drive
- Corellian Evader-GT Ion Drive
- Incom Starslinger Ion Drive
- SoroSuub Boav ion drive
- Starscream-9 Ion Drive
Behind the scenes
Ion drives are becoming a science fact on Earth as the first successful test of the Dawn spacecraft's ion engines used Xenon propellant. It burned for 27 hours and only expended 10 ounces of fuel. [1]
Appearances
Sources
- Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game
- The Star Wars Sourcebook (As "ion engine")
- Star Wars Campaign Pack
- Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters
- Death Star Technical Companion (As "ion sublight drive")
- Cracken's Rebel Field Guide (As "ion engine")
- Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, Second Edition
- Dark Force Rising Sourcebook (As "ion engine")
- Galaxy Guide 7: Mos Eisley
- Star Wars Gamemaster Handbook (As "ion engine")
- Star Wars Technical Journal, Volume One
- Death Star Technical Companion, Second Edition
- Galaxy Guide 6: Tramp Freighters, Second Edition
- Shadows of the Empire Sourcebook
1996 Topps Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire (Card: Outrider) (backup link (http://www.rebelscum.com/photo.asp?image=/sote/soteTC084.jpg) not verified!)- Star Wars Gamemaster Screen, Revised
- Star Wars Technical Journal
- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels
- Sublight drive in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
- TIE fighter in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link) (as "ion engine")
- Lords of Nal Hutta
- Fly Casual
