MIT lab developing ion microthrusters for cubesats
Monday, October 28, 2013 - 08:00
in Physics & Chemistry
(Phys.org) —The MIT News Office is reporting that the University's Space Power and Propulsion Laboratory (headed by Paulo Lozano) is seeing progress with micro-sized thruster design to power the next generation of self-propelled cubsats. Because traditional combustion or electric engines don't scale down well, the team has been testing ion electrospray thrusters that can be made as small as a postage stamp.