A satellite has fired a Hall-effect thruster fueled by solid zinc in orbit for the first time, giving spacecraft designers a new option for electric propulsion.<\/p>\n
Muon Space completed the test on July 1 aboard SERT-III, a dedicated propulsion test spacecraft. The mission tested the company\u2019s Starlight propulsion system under real orbital conditions.<\/p>\n
The thruster fired successfully on its first attempt. Telemetry matched ground-test predictions, while orbital tracking detected a measurable change in the spacecraft\u2019s trajectory.<\/p>\n
Zinc aims at xenon<\/p>\n
Hall-effect thrusters have become a standard choice for efficient satellite propulsion. Most systems use xenon or krypton, which require high-pressure storage and add complexity to spacecraft designs.<\/p>\n
Starlight takes a different approach. Its propellant comes as solid zinc, which remains stable at room temperature and does not need a pressurized tank.<\/p>\n
That could simplify spacecraft integration and ground operations. Zinc also costs less than traditional noble-gas propellants and has a much broader supply base.<\/p>\n
Those factors matter as satellite operators deploy larger constellations. Cutting propulsion hardware and propellant costs can become significant when the same system flies across dozens of spacecraft.<\/p>\n
Muon says Starlight can support orbit raising, station keeping, and controlled deorbiting on small and medium-sized satellites.<\/p>\n
The system also addresses a practical challenge that has followed electric propulsion for years. Satellite<\/a> operators need efficient thrusters, but propulsion hardware must also fit tight spacecraft mass and integration constraints.<\/p>\n SERT-III tests hardware<\/p>\n Muon designed SERT-III specifically to examine how the propulsion system behaves in space. The spacecraft carried sensors to measure performance, spacecraft interactions, and material deposited by the thruster plume.<\/p>\n Ground testing had already established expected performance across different throttle levels and operating conditions. The orbital test provided a chance to see whether those results held up in microgravity.<\/p>\n They did. The thruster fed and vaporized zinc reliably during the firing, according to Muon. Tracking data also confirmed that the spacecraft experienced the expected thrust.<\/p>\n Engineers also watched for unwanted zinc deposition around the spacecraft. Thermoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalance sensors detected less deposition near the thruster than conservative preflight models predicted.<\/p>\n That result gives engineers more data for understanding how zinc behaves after leaving the thruster. It should also help refine plume and contamination models for future spacecraft.<\/p>\n Muon CEO Jonny Dyer called<\/a> the orbital firing a major milestone for electric propulsion. He said the company chose to acquire Starlight Propulsion because zinc could address persistent problems in the propulsion<\/a> supply chain.<\/p>\n The test also avoided putting experimental hardware on a primary customer mission. SERT-III gave engineers a spacecraft dedicated to collecting propulsion data without placing another mission at risk.<\/p>\n Customer missions next<\/p>\n Muon now plans to incorporate the flight data into further development of Starlight. Engineers will focus on reliability, manufacturing, and plume management as the system moves toward production. <\/p>\n