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Sunday, January 24, 2021
CONTEXT: Solid Iodine Thruster for Microsatellite In-Orbit Propulsion
Iodine thrusters will allow low-budget cubesats to do serious, long-duration missions. They also make it simpler to de-orbit old satellites before they turn into space junk. https://t.co/oC5H3TwlYY pic.twitter.com/wfhTlLE0Th
— Corey S. Powell (@coreyspowell) January 24, 2021
This thruster uses electricity to sublimate a solid block of elemental iodine and ionises the liberated iodine gas for propulsion. Thrust is low, but it is simple, light, has no moving parts, and should have a long life. One application is de-orbiting microsatellites at end of life, reducing space junk.
Posted at January 24, 2021 15:18