Iodine ion drive propels satellite in space for the first time
Halogen could provide a cheaper, more efficient alternative to xenon
Iodine could one day propel and position constellations of mini-satellites following the first test of an iodine-based thruster in space. The system offers a cheaper, more versatile and more efficient propellant solution for manoeuvring satellites than existing electric thruster technologies, which largely rely on xenon.
‘Iodine is a game-changing propellant and our results show for the first time that it is not only a viable replacement for xenon, but that it also gives enhanced performance,’ says Trevor Lafleur, principal engineer at ThrustMe, the French company behind the technology.