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ELECTROSPRAY THRUSTERS Electrospray thrusters are characterized by precise thrust control (on the order of nano- Newtons) and extremely efficient operation (over 80%). Lisa Pathfinder - Space Technology 7 Since 1998, Busek has been a recognized leader in the field of

electrospray physics, which led to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s

award to Busek to develop the first electrospray thruster system.

This system included custom power management, digital control

interface and propellant storage and management systems. The

extreme precision (equivalent to the weight of a mosquito antenna)

required the development of new miniature valves capable of

withstanding the performance requirements, in addition to a

propellant-less carbon nanotube cathode. Since delivering the flight

hardware to JPL in 2008, Busek has been continuing its effort to

result in a new class of miniature, high performance electrospray

propulsion. CubeSat Electrospray Thruster System The Busek Electrospray Thruster system is the result of over 10 years of pioneering research and development, enabling a new class of CubeSat and NanoSat missions. The 8.5 x 8.5 x 6cm module consumes under 9 W power to deliver a thrust range from 0.1mN to 1.0mN, at ISPs ranging from 625 s to over 1300 s. The in-situ optimization of performance provides significant mission flexibility and versatility. The Electrospray Thruster System features a precision microvalve leveraged from ST7 design heritage and rugged flight electronics. The unit is designed to communicate with a spacecraft bus via RS-232, RS-422, and I2C protocols.