Thruster development
- Design reviews, component sizing and procurement.
- Manufacture and assemble the thruster and supporting systems.
- Prepare for a ground demonstration.
Project
From design to ground demonstration.
Our first thruster brings design, simulation, manufacture and testing together.
Our first project
In developmentA 1 kW argon
Hall-effect thruster.
We are developing our first argon Hall-effect thruster, taking it from design and simulation towards manufacture and ground testing.
Materials for the first thruster have been obtained. Through an iterative design process, we are developing the thruster components and supporting systems needed for testing at the Imperial Plasma Propulsion Laboratory.
- Power target
- 1 kW
- Propellant
- Argon
- Testing goal
- Ground demonstration
- Test environment
- Vacuum chamber
- Test facility
- Imperial Plasma Propulsion Laboratory
- First test target
- Early 2027
Project scope
Design, build, test and learn, from our first thruster to future spacecraft.
Mission & systems studies
- Define conceptual missions and propulsion requirements.
- Study spacecraft integration and how our systems could scale.
Student learning & outreach
- Practical training, shared research and project work.
- Connect students across disciplines and with other propulsion and CubeSat teams.