Summary
The first is the use of ergol, a generic term for any material that provides energy for space propulsion. By developing new ways of storing, processing and accelerating iodine, they were able to show that in its solid form this low-cost ergol could replace xenon, a gas widely used for plasma propulsion systems.
The second area of innovation is the design of a unique technology that allows both positive ions and electrons to be accelerated, instead of having a separate electrode to emit each type of particle. In view of the increasing number of satellites being launched, their aim is to make the space industry more sustainable. On 3 November 2019, the world's first iodine-powered satellite was launched and by 2020 ThrustMe will sign its first commercial contracts.