New propulsion system could make tiny satellites both fast and fuel-efficient

Amazing stuff!

"MIT engineers are testing a new propulsion system that combines the power and speed of conventional chemical thrusters with the precision and fuel-efficiency of electrical thrusters. 

The system could enable the design of nimbler, more flexible small satellites, which could perform both fast, powerful maneuvers and slower, precise adjustments, depending on the mission and moment at hand.

The key to the new system is a special propellant that can power both chemical and electrical thrusters, which traditionally have required separate, bulky fuel sources.  ..."

New propulsion system could make tiny satellites both fast and fuel-efficient | MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology "For satellites as small as a briefcase, getting around in space just got a whole lot easier."

Performance Characterization of Electrospray Thrusters with Energetic Ionic Liquid Monopropellant (open access)

Electrospray Thrusters