Iodine ion drive propels satellite in space for the first time by ThrustMe

Good news! Brought to you by ThrustMe founded in 2017, a "tech company that designs miniature aerospace thrusters for small satellites" (Source)! 😄

"Iodine could one day propel and position constellations of mini-satellites following the first test of an iodine-based thruster in space. The system offers a cheaper, more versatile and more efficient propellant solution for manoeuvring satellites than existing electric thruster technologies, which largely rely on xenon.

‘Iodine is a game-changing propellant and our results show for the first time that it is not only a viable replacement for xenon, but that it also gives enhanced performance,’ says Trevor Lafleur, principal engineer at ThrustMe, the French company behind the technology. ..."

Iodine ion drive propels satellite in space for the first time | Research | Chemistry World (behind paywall) Halogen could provide a cheaper, more efficient alternative to xenon