Over 2500 active satellites are in orbit as of October 2020, with an increase of~ 1000
smallsats in the past two years. Since 2012, over 1700 smallsats have been launched into …

Hall thrusters, the most common type of electric propulsion system, typically use xenon as
the propellant, given its inertness, its ability to be stored at a high density under pressure …

The transition from old space to new space along with increasing commercialization has a
major impact on space flight, in general, and on electric propulsion (EP) by ion thrusters, in …

The enlarged new edition of this textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to the
basic processes in plasmas and demonstrates that the same fundamental concepts describe …

As small satellites become more popular and capable, strategies to provide in-space
propulsion increase in importance. Applications range from orbital changes and …

Indirect methods used for solving optimal-control problems, when combined with proper
initialization and homotopy approaches, remain attractive for space trajectory optimization …

Abstract The Miniaturised Asteroid Remote Geophysical Observer (M-ARGO) mission is
designed to be ESA's first stand-alone CubeSat to independently travel in deep space with …

This article presents the theory and operation of a null-type, inverted pendulum thrust stand.
The thrust stand design supports thrusters having a total mass up to 250 kg and measures …

OVER the last decades, low-thrust propulsion has gained signifi-cant appeal due to its high
specific impulse, allowing a greater payload fraction to be delivered at a lower cost …

With the cancellation of the Apollo program after Apollo 17 returned from the Moon in 1972,
the focus of NASA switched to other areas of the Solar System. Study of the Moon did …