BENGALURU: (Mar 29) ISRO has announced the successful completion of a 1,000-hour life test on its 300mN (millinewton) Stationary Plasma Thruster that is developed for induction in the Electric Propulsion System of satellites.
The Electric Propulsion System is proposed to replace the chemical propulsion system in future satellites of the space agency and pave the way for communication satellites which use only electric propulsion systems for orbit raising and station keeping.
The induction of these thrusters will result in extensive mass savings thereby enabling the enhancement of transponder capacity in communication satellites, it said.