Review of electric thrusters with low consumption power for corrective propulsion system of small space vehicles

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of current world developments in the field of low-energy plasma propulsion systems for small micro - and nanoclass spacecraft. A promising direction of thrusters for devices of nanoclass are propulsion ion propulsion. The use of electrical energy and high-frequency electromagnetic radiation eliminates the problem of significant power losses, because at this level, the laws of optics (reflection and focusing of waves by metal surfaces and dielectrics) and electrical conductivity (energy transfer through metal conductors) work. This fact is an advantage of plasma installations over thermal ones.