ThrustMe and Spacety announce the launch of a satellite carrying the world’s first iodine electric propulsion system.
« The BEIHANGKONGSHI-1 satellite includes a ThrustMe NPT30-I2 electric propulsion system which uses iodine propellant. Iodine can be stored as a solid and does not require any complex or costly high-pressure storage tanks like conventional gaseous propellants such as xenon. This also means that the propulsion system can be delivered pre-filled, which greatly simplifies satellite integration and testing. Considering the high production cost of xenon, and the predicted supply problems to meet growing demands from satellite constellations, iodine is seen as an important next-generation propellant to enable sustainability of the space industry. “Iodine is a game changer, and with this mission, we will demonstrate it for the first time”, says ThrustMe’s CEO Ane Aanesland. »
