Pulsar Fusion Secures ESA Support For Hall Effect Thruster Development

UK-based start-up, Pulsar Fusion has successfully secured a new 18-month contract under ESA's General Support Technology Programme (GSTP). The agreement aims to elevate Pulsar's 500 W Hall-effect thruster (HET) from a low technology readiness level (TRL 3) to a much more mature TRL 6 — an important step toward full flight qualification and eventual space deployment.

Hall-effect thrusters are a well-established class of electric propulsion where gas — such as xenon or krypton — is ionised and accelerated by electric and magnetic fields to generate low amounts of thrust very efficiently. This makes them ideal for satellite station-keeping, orbital manoeuvres and long-duration space missions.