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TXAZ · February 20, 2022, 09:22 AM

If a rail gun is fair game, then consider the ion thruster / ion gun, ant an electron gun found in older CRT-based TV’s.
https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/t...opulsion1.html

NASA says …” often used just one at a time. Spacecraft powered by these thrusters can reach speeds up to 90,000 meters per second (over 200,000 mph). In comparison, the Space Shuttles can reach speeds around 18,000 mph.”
The muzzle velocity of the ions coming out (in a vacuum, in space or on a test rig on earth) is on the order of the speed of light, 300,000 Km/sec).

Conversely, you can build your own “Electron gun” (or pull it out of an old TV tube) and reach speeds over 13 million mph.
And this gun can kill if pointed at a very close target for extended periods of time).

“For an electron gun with a voltage between its cathode and anode of V = 100V the electron will have a speed of about v = 6 × 10^6 m/s.”
https://spark.iop.org › speed-electrons
The speed of electrons | IOPSpark - Institute of Physics

February 20, 2022, 09:22 AM	#36
TXAZ Senior Member Join Date: September 5, 2010 Location: McMurdo Sound Texas Posts: 4,322	If a rail gun is fair game, then consider the ion thruster / ion gun, ant an electron gun found in older CRT-based TV’s. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/t...opulsion1.html NASA says …” often used just one at a time. Spacecraft powered by these thrusters can reach speeds up to 90,000 meters per second (over 200,000 mph). In comparison, the Space Shuttles can reach speeds around 18,000 mph.” The muzzle velocity of the ions coming out (in a vacuum, in space or on a test rig on earth) is on the order of the speed of light, 300,000 Km/sec). Conversely, you can build your own “Electron gun” (or pull it out of an old TV tube) and reach speeds over 13 million mph. And this gun can kill if pointed at a very close target for extended periods of time). “For an electron gun with a voltage between its cathode and anode of V = 100V the electron will have a speed of about v = 6 × 10^6 m/s.” https://spark.iop.org › speed-electrons The speed of electrons \| IOPSpark - Institute of Physics __________________ Cave illos in guns et backhoes Last edited by TXAZ; February 20, 2022 at 09:40 AM.