Vacuum vs atmosphere

Untested

Same Gravitor, run in air vs vacuum. Thrust should survive — ion wind cannot.

Result: untested

Requires vacuum test

Premise. Ion drift requires neutral atoms to push against. Maxwell stress doesn't. A test in ≤1 Pa cleanly separates the two.

Why it matters. The single most decisive test in the program. Anything that survives ≤1 Pa is electrostatic by elimination.

Variable. Chamber pressure (Pa)

Hold constant

Prediction. Thrust at ≤1 Pa is within 30% of thrust at atmosphere.

1
Find a vacuum chamber
Typically a glass or steel bell jar with HV feedthroughs. ≤1 Pa is the target — 10 Pa rules out bulk air drag, 1 Pa rules out almost everything.
2
Pump down with HV off
Outgassing transients can puncture thin dielectrics during pump-down. Reach base pressure before applying voltage.
3
Run identical voltage profile
Same V, same dwell, same scale. Compare Δm.

!Thermal drift inside a vacuum chamber is way slower than at atmosphere — let things settle for ≥30 minutes.
!Outgassing from organic glues raises pressure mid-run; watch the gauge.