The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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An innovative compact electric propulsion system has recently completed its extended qualification firing tests campaign in space-representative vacuum and temperatures conditions, leaving it ready to be deployed aboard the ESA-supported µHETSat technology demonstration microsatellite mission, slated for launch by the end of this year.
The approximately 70 kg µHETSat satellite used for this in-orbit demonstration will enable the thruster to raise and lower its orbit in a series of dedicated tests and in-orbit functional and performance verification campaigns over a planned two-year lifespan. Starting from an initial 550 km altitude orbit, the goal is to achieve at least 1000 ignition cycles and a single ignition to surpass 600 seconds.