Satellite fires up iodine-fueled ion thruster for the first time

In a development that could help slow the proliferation of space junk, the orbit of a communications satellite has for the first time been altered using solid iodine as a propellant. The Beihangkonshi-1 smallsat made the maneuver earlier this month using a self-contained NPT30-I2 electric propulsion system developed by French startup Thrustme.

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