SMART-1 plasma thruster

SEP's PPS-1350 70mN Hall-effect plasma thruster has been selected to propel ESA's SMART-1 mission. SMART-1 is the first of the Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology of ESA's Horizons 2000 Science plan. Its main mission objective is to demonstrate innovative and key technologies for deep-space scientific missions. One key technology is the use of solar electric propulsion as primary propulsion. It is a first for Europe and paves the way for future missions with large velocity requirements, such as a Mercury orbiter. [Image Date: 1999/05] [99.05.004-002]