What is the maximum thrust an Ion Engine can achieve?

What is the maximum thrust an Ion Engine can achieve?

• Hi, I'm reading about Ion Engines at Wikipedia and they are really cool. however the models tested today create only 1 lb of thrust and they utilize around 100kw engines. Is it possible to create more powerful Ion Engines by having a larger power source, like 100MW? What kind of thrust could it create? Thanks for your response! Cheers

• Answer:

  no limit but thrust means shooting an exhaust mass in one direction and the rocket goes the other way when you run out of the "reaction mass" game over. current systems are for low thrust for very very long times thrust or force = change in momentum per unit time momentum is Mass x Velocity . C the speed of light is the max possible V but ion engines come nowhere close to C. rockets have a V limited by the energy of the burning fuel. rocket performance is described by "specific Impulse" the pound of thrust per pound of fuel per sec It is an a technically incorrect term since the "Pounds" of thrust is a force but the "pounds of fuel" means MASS not weight