Engineers at the Moscow Aviation Institute (MAI) have presented a new engine for satellites based on the Hall effect. The device, named HT-1000, is highly efficient and has a virtually unlimited service life.
The engine is designed for spacecraft weighing from 450 kg, operating in low Earth orbit. Its active service life reaches seven years. According to the developers, the HT-1000 has high thrust, is economical, and can run on different types of fuel. Its compact size and light weight make it convenient for use in modern satellite systems.
Alexander Bogaty, Deputy Director of the Research Institute of Applied Mechanics and Electrodynamics at MAI, noted that such engines are suitable not only for maintaining orbit but also for interplanetary flights. They are also useful for managing satellite constellations, including their deployment and deorbiting.
These engines will not only ensure the functioning of satellites throughout their life cycle but also perform orbit-raising maneuvers, deployment of spacecraft during group launches, and deorbiting of spacecraft at the end of their operation.
The HT-1000 operates on the principle of ionizing an inert gas under the influence of a magnetic field. The resulting plasma creates reactive thrust, providing movement of the spacecraft. Prototype testing is now complete, and preparations are underway for mass production. A specialized production site has been created for this purpose in Zelenograd.
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