Nanopowered Thrusters for Mini-Satellites

Paulo Lozano SM ’98, PhD ’03, faculty

CubeSats are shoebox-sized satellites launched into orbit from rockets or spacecraft for scientific research. With no onboard propulsion, they eventually tumble out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere. Lozano’s ion electrospray thrusters could dramatically expand their range and usefulness. The LEGO-brick-sized thrusters could steer a CubeSat for months at a time, propelling it to the moon, asteroids, and even to nearby planets.