// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Ion Engine
A type of electric propulsion system that creates thrust by accelerating ions (electrically charged atoms) to very high speeds, offering high fuel efficiency but low thrust.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
A type of electric propulsion system that generates thrust by ionizing a propellant (e.g., xenon) and then electrostatically accelerating the resulting ions to extremely high velocities, characterized by very high specific impulse but low thrust, ideal for long-duration space missions.
BACKGROUND
Private spaceflight companies include non-governmental or privately owned entities focused on developing and/or offering equipment and services geared towards spaceflight, both robotic and human. This list includes both inactive and active entities.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Ion Thruster
- Electric Propulsion
- Hall Thruster
- Gridded Ion Thruster
USAGE NOTE
Ion engines are commonly used for station-keeping and deep-space missions where continuous, low-thrust propulsion is sufficient.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Ion Engine.
NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Glenn Research Center have been at the forefront of ion engine development for decades, pioneering technologies like the NASA Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) and the ion propulsion system for the Dawn mission. They continue to research advanced electric propulsion for deep-space exploration.
A major aerospace and defense contractor, Aerojet Rocketdyne develops various propulsion systems, including ion propulsion. They have supplied the XR-5 Hall Thruster system for commercial and government satellites and are involved in advanced electric propulsion research.
Busek is a leading developer and manufacturer of advanced electric propulsion systems, including Hall effect thrusters, electrospray propulsion, and RF ion thrusters for satellites and spacecraft. Their technology enables missions ranging from CubeSats to large geostationary satellites.
Through its subsidiary Snecma, Safran is a key player in electric propulsion, particularly with its PPS® (Plasma Propulsion System) Hall effect thrusters. These systems are used on numerous geostationary communication satellites for station-keeping and orbit raising.
As a prominent satellite manufacturer, Maxar (formerly SSL) has extensively utilized and further developed ion propulsion systems for its communication and observation satellites. Their high-power electric propulsion systems enable efficient orbit raising and station-keeping for commercial and government spacecraft.
SpaceX employs Hall effect thrusters (a type of ion engine) for the Starlink satellite constellation. These thrusters use krypton propellant and are critical for orbit raising, station-keeping, and deorbiting the thousands of satellites in their low Earth orbit network.
Exotrail is a French space company specializing in electric propulsion for small satellites. They develop and market a range of Hall effect thrusters and propulsion systems designed to provide high-thrust, compact, and efficient solutions for satellite maneuvers and constellation deployment.
ACCION Systems develops TILE (Tiny Ion Engine) propulsion systems, which use an ion electrospray technology. Their propulsion solutions are designed for small satellites and CubeSats, offering highly efficient, compact, and scalable electric propulsion.