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{{Infobox company
{{Infobox company
| trade_name = ThrustMe
| trade_name = ThrustMe
| logo =
| logo = File:ThrustMe_logo_256.png
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2017|2|3|df=yes}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|2017|2|3|df=yes}}
| founder = Ane Aanesland, Dmytro Rafalskyi
| founder = Ane Aanesland, Dmytro Rafalskyi
Line 11: Line 9:
| industry = [[Aerospace engineering|Aerospace]]
| industry = [[Aerospace engineering|Aerospace]]
| products = [[Spacecraft propulsion]]
| products = [[Spacecraft propulsion]]
| num_employees = 11–20
| num_employees = 21–50
| website = https://www.thrustme.fr/
| website = https://www.thrustme.fr/
}}
}}


'''ThrustMe''' is a [[deep tech]] company that designs miniature aerospace thrusters for [[small satellite]]s, increasing the life of satellites and making them more affordable.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr|last=Lestavel|first=Thomas|title=La start-up ThrustMe divise par trois les coûts d’accès à l’espace|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/la-start-up-thrustme-divise-par-trois-les-couts-d-acces-a-l-espace-20190417|website=Le Figaro.fr|date=2019-04-17|access-date=2021-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=en|title=How Iodine Electric Propulsion Systems Can Enable The Economic Sustainability Of Satellite Constellations.|url=http://www.satmagazine.com/story.php?number=1467816246|website=satmagazine.com|date=2021-02-XX|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
'''ThrustMe''' is a [[deep tech]] company that designs miniaturized aerospace thrusters for [[small satellite]]s, increasing the life of satellites and making them more affordable.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr|last=Lestavel|first=Thomas|title=La start-up ThrustMe divise par trois les coûts d'accès à l'espace|url=https://www.lefigaro.fr/societes/la-start-up-thrustme-divise-par-trois-les-couts-d-acces-a-l-espace-20190417|website=Le Figaro.fr|date=2019-04-17|access-date=2021-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=en|title=How Iodine Electric Propulsion Systems Can Enable The Economic Sustainability Of Satellite Constellations.|url=http://www.satmagazine.com/story.php?number=1467816246|website=satmagazine.com|date=February 2021|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>


The company builds [[Gridded ion thruster|gridded ion thrusters]] (NPT30)<ref name="npt30">{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=French startup demonstrates iodine propulsion in potential boost for space debris mitigation efforts|url=https://spacenews.com/french-startup-demonstrates-iodine-propulsion-in-potential-boost-for-space-debris-mitigation-efforts/|website=Spacenews|date=2020-03-25|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> and [[Cold gas thruster|cold gas thrusters]] (I2T5).<ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=Iodine Impulse for Smallsats Demo’d On-Orbit by ThrustMe and Spacety|url=https://smallsatnews.com/2019/11/25/iodine-impulse-for-smallsats-demod-on-orbit-by-thrustme-and-spacety/|website=Smallsat News|date=2019-11-25|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
The company builds [[gridded ion thruster]]s (NPT30)<ref name="npt30">{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=French startup demonstrates iodine propulsion in potential boost for space debris mitigation efforts|url=https://spacenews.com/french-startup-demonstrates-iodine-propulsion-in-potential-boost-for-space-debris-mitigation-efforts/|website=Spacenews|date=2020-03-25|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> and [[cold gas thruster]]s (I2T5).<ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=Iodine Impulse for Smallsats Demo'd On-Orbit by ThrustMe and Spacety|url=https://smallsatnews.com/2019/11/25/iodine-impulse-for-smallsats-demod-on-orbit-by-thrustme-and-spacety/|website=Smallsat News|date=2019-11-25|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>


== History ==
== History ==
ThrustMe was founded in 2017 by Ane Aanesland and Dmytro Rafalskyi who had previously worked at the [[École Polytechnique|école polytechnique de Paris]] and the [[French National Centre for Scientific Research|CNRS]] as experts in [[plasma physics]] and [[Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion|electric propulsion]].<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Un nouvel espace pour les start-up|url=https://www.lajauneetlarouge.com/un-nouvel-espace-pour-les-start-up/|website=La Jaune et la Rouge|date=2018-06-03|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref> Initially, the startup was incubated in Agoranov.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Meddah|first1=Hassan|date=2017-07-08|title=ThrustMe emmène les minisatellites en orbite|url=https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/thrustme-emmene-les-minisatellites-en-orbite.N561073|journal=L'Usine Nouvelle|language=fr-FR|url-access=subscription|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> Also in 2017, ThrustMe raised 1.7 million euros for its development.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-US|title=French startup raises $1.9 million for smallsat electric propulsion|url=https://spacenews.com/french-startup-raises-1-9-million-for-smallsat-electric-propulsion/|website=SpaceNews.com|date=2017-06-16|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>
ThrustMe was founded in 2017 by Ane Aanesland and Dmytro Rafalskyi, who previously worked at the [[École Polytechnique]] and [[French National Centre for Scientific Research|CNRS]] as researchers in [[plasma physics]] and [[Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion|electric propulsion]].<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Un nouvel espace pour les start-up|url=https://www.lajauneetlarouge.com/un-nouvel-espace-pour-les-start-up/|website=La Jaune et la Rouge|date=2018-06-03|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref> Initially, the startup was incubated in Agoranov.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Meddah|first1=Hassan|date=2017-07-08|title=ThrustMe emmène les minisatellites en orbite|url=https://www.usinenouvelle.com/article/thrustme-emmene-les-minisatellites-en-orbite.N561073|journal=L'Usine Nouvelle|language=fr-FR|url-access=subscription|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> Also in 2017, ThrustMe raised 1.7 million euros for its development.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-US|title=French startup raises $1.9 million for smallsat electric propulsion|url=https://spacenews.com/french-startup-raises-1-9-million-for-smallsat-electric-propulsion/|website=SpaceNews.com|date=2017-06-16|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>


In 2018, ThrustMe received €2.4 million from the [[European Commission]] to commercialise electric propulsion for nanosatellites.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-US|title=Electric propulsion startup ThrustMe gets $2.8 million from European Commission|url=https://spacenews.com/electric-propulsion-startup-thrustme-gets-2-8-million-from-european-commission/|website=SpaceNews.com|date=2018-08-09|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>
In 2018, ThrustMe received €2.4 million from the [[European Commission]] to commercialise electric propulsion for nanosatellites.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-US|title=Electric propulsion startup ThrustMe gets $2.8 million from European Commission|url=https://spacenews.com/electric-propulsion-startup-thrustme-gets-2-8-million-from-european-commission/|website=SpaceNews.com|date=2018-08-09|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>


In 2019, Ane Aanesland received the CNRS innovation medal for her entrepreneurial activities.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Ane Aanesland, de chercheuse au CNRS à CEO de ThrustMe {{!}} Bpifrance servir l'avenir|url=https://www.bpifrance.fr/A-la-une/Actualites/Ane-Aanesland-de-chercheuse-au-CNRS-a-CEO-de-ThrustMe-47146|website=www.bpifrance.fr|date=10 July 2019|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref> The same year SpaceTy and ThrustMe orbited the first satellite using [[iodine]] for propulsion.<ref>{{cite journal|language=fr-FR|first1=Alexandre|last1=Couto|title=ThrustMe met en orbite le premier satellite utilisant de l'iode pour se propulser|journal=Industry-techno|date=2019-11-04|url=https://www.industrie-techno.com/article/thrustme-met-en-orbite-le-premier-satellite-propulse-par-de-l-iode.57909|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>
In 2019, Ane Aanesland received the CNRS innovation medal for her entrepreneurial activities.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Ane Aanesland, de chercheuse au CNRS à CEO de ThrustMe {{!}} Bpifrance servir l'avenir|url=https://www.bpifrance.fr/A-la-une/Actualites/Ane-Aanesland-de-chercheuse-au-CNRS-a-CEO-de-ThrustMe-47146|website=www.bpifrance.fr|date=10 July 2019|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref> The same year, SpaceTy and ThrustMe maneuvered for the first time a satellite using [[iodine]] as propellant, with a cold-gas thruster.<ref>{{cite journal|language=fr-FR|first1=Alexandre|last1=Couto|title=ThrustMe met en orbite le premier satellite utilisant de l'iode pour se propulser|journal=Industry-techno|date=2019-11-04|url=https://www.industrie-techno.com/article/thrustme-met-en-orbite-le-premier-satellite-propulse-par-de-l-iode.57909|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>


In 2021, SpaceTy and ThrustMe have achieved the first in-orbit demonstration of an [[Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion|electric propulsion system]] powered by iodine.<ref name="npt30"></ref><ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=ThrustMe’s Iodine Propulsion System Launched Aboard Spacety’s Smallsat|url=https://news.satnews.com/2020/11/06/thrustmes-iodine-propulsion-system-launched-aboard-spacetys-smallsat/|website=Satnews|date=2020-11-06|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=Iodine thruster could slow space junk accumulation|url=https://www.esa.int/Applications/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Iodine_thruster_could_slow_space_junk_accumulation|website=esa.int|date=2021-01-22|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
In 2021, ThrustMe, in partnership with SpaceTy, achieved the first in-orbit demonstration of an [[Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion|electric propulsion system]] powered by iodine.<ref name="npt30" /><ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=ThrustMe's Iodine Propulsion System Launched Aboard Spacety's Smallsat|url=https://news.satnews.com/2020/11/06/thrustmes-iodine-propulsion-system-launched-aboard-spacetys-smallsat/|website=Satnews|date=2020-11-06|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=en|author1=|title=Iodine thruster could slow space junk accumulation|url=https://www.esa.int/Applications/Telecommunications_Integrated_Applications/Iodine_thruster_could_slow_space_junk_accumulation|website=esa.int|date=2021-01-22|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> The results were published as a research article in the journal [[Nature (journal)|''Nature'']], where the maneuvers described resulted in a cumulative altitude change above 3&nbsp;km.<ref name=Nature1 >{{cite journal |last1=Rafalskyi |first1=Dmytro |last2=Martínez Martínez |first2=Javier |last3=Habl |first3=Lui |last4=Zorzoli Rossi |first4=Elena |last5=Proynov |first5=Plamen |last6=Boré |first6=Antoine |last7=Baret |first7=Thomas |last8=Poyet |first8=Antoine |last9=Lafleur |first9=Trevor |last10=Dudin |first10=Stanislav |last11=Aanesland |first11=Ane |date=17 November 2021 |title=In-orbit demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system |journal=Nature |volume=599 |pages=411–415 |issue=7885|doi=10.1038/s41586-021-04015-y |pmid=34789903 |pmc=8599014 |quote=''Both atomic and molecular iodine ions are accelerated by high-voltage grids to generate thrust, and a highly collimated beam can be produced with substantial iodine dissociation.''}}</ref><ref name=CNET>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/in-a-space-first-scientists-test-ion-thrusters-powered-by-iodine/ |title=In a space first, scientists test ion thrusters powered by iodine |last1=Ravisetti |first1=Monisha |date=18 November 2021 |website=[[CNET]] |publisher=[[Red Ventures]] |access-date=2021-11-29}}</ref>


According to the [[European Space Agency]], in regard to the use of [[iodine]] rather than [[Xenon]] in a [[gridded ion thruster]], "This small but potentially disruptive innovation could help to clear the skies of space junk, by enabling tiny satellites to self-destruct cheaply and easily at the end of their missions, by steering themselves into the atmosphere where they would burn up."<ref name=ESA1 >{{cite web |url=https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/01/Iodine_thruster_used_to_change_the_orbit_of_a_small_satellite_for_the_first_time_ever#.YaUuCq-kYyQ.link |title=Iodine thruster used to change the orbit of a small satellite for the first time ever |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=22 January 2021 |website=www.esa.int |publisher=The European Space Agency |access-date=2021-11-29}}</ref>
⚫
== Awards ==


== Flight missions ==
⚫
* [[French Tech]] Ticket, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Les 70 startups internationales lauréates du french tech ticket saison 2|url=http://proxy-pubminefi.diffusion.finances.gouv.fr/pub/document/18/22243.pdf|website=finances.gouv.fr|format=PDF|page=27|date=2017-03-07|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>

⚫
* "Grand Prix i-LAB" of the 19<sup>th</sup> national competition to help the creation of innovative technology companies, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Quatre projets lauréats du Concours i-LAB 2017 (dont un Grand Prix) sont accompagnés par la SATT Paris-Saclay|url=https://www.satt.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CP_Concours-i-Lab-SATT-Paris-Saclay.pdf|publisher=SATT Paris-Saclay|date=2017-07-07|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
=== Ongoing ===
*'''XiaoXiang 1-08''' is a six-unit [[cubesat]] developed by Chinese satellite company Spacety. It carries ThrustMe's I2T5 non-pressurized cold gas thruster, the first in existence.<ref>{{cite web|language=en|first1=Andrew|last1=Jones|title=French startup ThrustMe found fast route to orbit through China's Spacety|url=https://spacenews.com/french-startup-thrustme-found-fast-route-to-orbit-through-chinas-spacety/|date=2019-11-25|access-date=2021-07-30}}</ref>
*'''BeiHangKongshi-1''' is a 12-unit [[cubesat]] developed by Spacety. The satellite carries ThrustMe's [[NPT30-I2]]-1U, the first iodine electric propulsion system sent into space.<ref name="npt30" /> The cubesat was launched on board the [[Long March 6]] on 6 November 2020.<ref>{{cite news|date=6 November 2020|title=ThrustMe's Iodine Propulsion System Launched Aboard Spacety's Smallsat|work=Sat News|url=https://news.satnews.com/2020/11/06/thrustmes-iodine-propulsion-system-launched-aboard-spacetys-smallsat/|access-date=1 September 2021}}</ref> According to Rafalskyi, advanced orbital maneuvers would be carried out to test the satellite's full capabilities.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Werner |first1=Debra |title=Spacety launches satellite to test ThrustMe iodine electric propulsion and constellation technologies |url=https://spacenews.com/thrustme-2020-demonstration/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=Space News |date=6 November 2020}}</ref>
*'''Hisea-1''' is a 180-kilogram [[Synthetic-aperture radar|SAR]] minisatellite. It is the first generation of light, small SAR satellites developed by Spacety carrying a [[NPT30]]-I2-1U for orbit maintenance, collision avoidance, and end-of-life deorbiting.<ref>{{cite web|language=en|first1=Andrew|last1=Jones|title=China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport|url=https://spacenews.com/china-launches-first-long-march-8-from-wenchang-spaceport/|website=Spacenews|date=2020-03-25|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref> It was launched on board a [[Long March 8]] rocket on 22 December 2020 for ocean research.<ref>{{cite web|language=en|title=Imagery from Hisea-1 SAR Satellite Unveiled|url=https://en.spacety.com/index.php/2021/01/04/imagery-from-worlds-first-c-band-commercial-smallsat-sar-hisea-1-satellite-unveiled/|date=2020-12-30|access-date=2021-07-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Iodine Electric Propulsion To Become A Critical Subsystem For SAR Constellations |url=https://news.satnews.com/2021/01/03/iodine-electric-propulsion-to-become-a-critical-subsystem-for-sar-constellations/ |access-date=1 September 2021 |work=Sat News |date=3 January 2021}}</ref>

=== Announced ===

* '''NorSat-TD''' is a microsatellite developed by the [[University of Toronto Institute for Aerospace Studies|UTIAS]] Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) for the [[Norwegian Space Agency|Norwegian space agency]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Norway Selects Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to Develop Technology Demonstrator Microsatellite {{!}} UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory|url=https://www.utias-sfl.net/?p=3543|access-date=2021-11-25|website=www.utias-sfl.net}}</ref> The satellite was [launched in 2023; earlier it was] scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Romsenter|first=Norsk|title=Agreement signed with the Netherlands for Norway's new satellite|url=https://www.romsenter.no/eng/News/News/Agreement-signed-with-the-Netherlands-for-Norway-s-new-satellite|access-date=2021-11-25|website=Norwegian Space Agency}}</ref>
*'''GOMX-5''' is a 12U [[CubeSat|cubesat]] built by [[GomSpace]] for the [[European Space Agency]] to perform a technology demonstration mission.<ref>{{Cite web|title=ESA and GomSpace sign contract for continuation of the GOMX-5 mission|url=https://news.cision.com/gomspace-a-s/r/esa-and-gomspace-sign-contract-for-continuation-of-the-gomx-5-mission,c3202464|access-date=2021-11-25|website=News Powered by Cision|language=en}}</ref> The launch is scheduled for 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=GOMX 5A, 5B|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/gomx-5.htm|access-date=2021-11-25|website=Gunter's Space Page|language=en}}</ref>
*'''INSPIRESat-4/ARCADE''' is a 27U spacecraft built by [[Nanyang Technological University|NTU]], [[Forschungszentrum Jülich|Jülich Research Centre]], [[Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics|LASP]], [[Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology|IISST]] and [[National Central University|NCU]]. The satellite aims to flight in the VLEO ([[Very low Earth orbit|Very Low Earth Orbit]]) region to make in-situ Ionospheric plasma measurements.<ref>{{Cite web|title=INSPIRESAT-4/ARCADE : a VLEO mission for atmospheric temperature measurements and ionospheric plasma characterization|url=https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/handle/10356/148434|access-date=2021-11-26|website=Nanyang Technological University|language=en}}</ref> The thruster is expected to lower the orbit of the satellite to less than 300&nbsp;km and enable the mission to survive at this altitude for a duration of 6 months or more. The launch is scheduled for 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|title=INSPIRESat-4|url=https://lasp.colorado.edu/home/inspire/inspiresat-4/|access-date=2021-11-26|website=University of Colorado|language=en}}</ref>

⚫
== Awards ==


⚫
* [[French Tech]] Ticket, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Les 70 startups internationales lauréates du french tech ticket saison 2|url=http://proxy-pubminefi.diffusion.finances.gouv.fr/pub/document/18/22243.pdf|website=finances.gouv.fr|page=27|date=2017-03-07|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
⚫
* "Grand Prix i-LAB" of the 19th national competition to help the creation of innovative technology companies, 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|title=Quatre projets lauréats du Concours i-LAB 2017 (dont un Grand Prix) sont accompagnés par la SATT Paris-Saclay|url=https://www.satt.fr/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/CP_Concours-i-Lab-SATT-Paris-Saclay.pdf|publisher=SATT Paris-Saclay|date=2017-07-07|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
* "Prix de l'Excellence Française Innovation Spatiale", 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-FR|title=Palmarès Spécial Innovation Spatiale 2017 -|url=http://excellencefrancaise.com/fr/laureats/2017-laureats/palmares-special-2017/#gallery-9|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>
* "Prix de l'Excellence Française Innovation Spatiale", 2017.<ref>{{cite web|language=en-FR|title=Palmarès Spécial Innovation Spatiale 2017 -|url=http://excellencefrancaise.com/fr/laureats/2017-laureats/palmares-special-2017/#gallery-9|access-date=2020-04-23}}</ref>
* "Médaille de l’innovation du [[CNRS]]", for Ane Aanesland, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|last=Poncet|first=Guerric|date=2019-11-28|title=Ane Aanesland, la mécano de l'espace|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/sciences-nature/ane-aanesland-la-mecano-de-l-espace-28-11-2019-2350191_1924.php|url-access=subscription|url-status=live|access-date=2020-04-23|website=Le Point|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|first=Martin|last=Koppe|title=Four Aces for Innovation|url=https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/four-aces-for-innovation|website=news.cnrs.fr|date=2019-12-09|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>
* "Médaille de l’innovation du [[CNRS]]", for Ane Aanesland, 2019.<ref>{{cite web|last=Poncet|first=Guerric|date=2019-11-28|title=Ane Aanesland, la mécano de l'espace|url=https://www.lepoint.fr/sciences-nature/ane-aanesland-la-mecano-de-l-espace-28-11-2019-2350191_1924.php|url-access=subscription|access-date=2020-04-23|website=Le Point|language=fr-FR}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|language=fr-FR|first=Martin|last=Koppe|title=Four Aces for Innovation|url=https://news.cnrs.fr/articles/four-aces-for-innovation|website=news.cnrs.fr|date=2019-12-09|access-date=2021-07-26}}</ref>


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />


{{Portal|Spaceflight}}
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[[Category:Spacecraft propulsion]]
[[Category:Spacecraft propulsion]]

Latest revision as of 02:42, 28 December 2024

ThrustMe
ThrustMe
IndustryAerospace
Founded3 February 2017; 7 years ago (2017-02-03)
FounderAne Aanesland, Dmytro Rafalskyi
Headquarters
Verrières-le-Buisson
,
France
Key people
Ane Aanesland (CEO), Dmytro Rafalskyi (CTO)
ProductsSpacecraft propulsion
Number of employees
21–50
Websitehttps://www.thrustme.fr/

ThrustMe is a deep tech company that designs miniaturized aerospace thrusters for small satellites, increasing the life of satellites and making them more affordable.[1][2]

The company builds gridded ion thrusters (NPT30)[3] and cold gas thrusters (I2T5).[4]

History

[edit]

ThrustMe was founded in 2017 by Ane Aanesland and Dmytro Rafalskyi, who previously worked at the École Polytechnique and CNRS as researchers in plasma physics and electric propulsion.[5] Initially, the startup was incubated in Agoranov.[6] Also in 2017, ThrustMe raised 1.7 million euros for its development.[7]

In 2018, ThrustMe received €2.4 million from the European Commission to commercialise electric propulsion for nanosatellites.[8]

In 2019, Ane Aanesland received the CNRS innovation medal for her entrepreneurial activities.[9] The same year, SpaceTy and ThrustMe maneuvered for the first time a satellite using iodine as propellant, with a cold-gas thruster.[10]

In 2021, ThrustMe, in partnership with SpaceTy, achieved the first in-orbit demonstration of an electric propulsion system powered by iodine.[3][11][12] The results were published as a research article in the journal Nature, where the maneuvers described resulted in a cumulative altitude change above 3 km.[13][14]

According to the European Space Agency, in regard to the use of iodine rather than Xenon in a gridded ion thruster, "This small but potentially disruptive innovation could help to clear the skies of space junk, by enabling tiny satellites to self-destruct cheaply and easily at the end of their missions, by steering themselves into the atmosphere where they would burn up."[15]

Flight missions

[edit]

Ongoing

[edit]
  • XiaoXiang 1-08 is a six-unit cubesat developed by Chinese satellite company Spacety. It carries ThrustMe's I2T5 non-pressurized cold gas thruster, the first in existence.[16]
  • BeiHangKongshi-1 is a 12-unit cubesat developed by Spacety. The satellite carries ThrustMe's NPT30-I2-1U, the first iodine electric propulsion system sent into space.[3] The cubesat was launched on board the Long March 6 on 6 November 2020.[17] According to Rafalskyi, advanced orbital maneuvers would be carried out to test the satellite's full capabilities.[18]
  • Hisea-1 is a 180-kilogram SAR minisatellite. It is the first generation of light, small SAR satellites developed by Spacety carrying a NPT30-I2-1U for orbit maintenance, collision avoidance, and end-of-life deorbiting.[19] It was launched on board a Long March 8 rocket on 22 December 2020 for ocean research.[20][21]

Announced

[edit]
  • NorSat-TD is a microsatellite developed by the UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) for the Norwegian space agency.[22] The satellite was [launched in 2023; earlier it was] scheduled to be launched in the first quarter of 2022.[23]
  • GOMX-5 is a 12U cubesat built by GomSpace for the European Space Agency to perform a technology demonstration mission.[24] The launch is scheduled for 2021.[25]
  • INSPIRESat-4/ARCADE is a 27U spacecraft built by NTU, Jülich Research Centre, LASP, IISST and NCU. The satellite aims to flight in the VLEO (Very Low Earth Orbit) region to make in-situ Ionospheric plasma measurements.[26] The thruster is expected to lower the orbit of the satellite to less than 300 km and enable the mission to survive at this altitude for a duration of 6 months or more. The launch is scheduled for 2022.[27]

Awards

[edit]
  • French Tech Ticket, 2017.[28]
  • "Grand Prix i-LAB" of the 19th national competition to help the creation of innovative technology companies, 2017.[29]
  • "Prix de l'Excellence Française Innovation Spatiale", 2017.[30]
  • "Médaille de l’innovation du CNRS", for Ane Aanesland, 2019.[31][32]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Lestavel, Thomas (2019-04-17). "La start-up ThrustMe divise par trois les coûts d'accès à l'espace". Le Figaro.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-01-22.
  2. ^ "How Iodine Electric Propulsion Systems Can Enable The Economic Sustainability Of Satellite Constellations". satmagazine.com. February 2021. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  3. ^ a b c "French startup demonstrates iodine propulsion in potential boost for space debris mitigation efforts". Spacenews. 2020-03-25. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  4. ^ "Iodine Impulse for Smallsats Demo'd On-Orbit by ThrustMe and Spacety". Smallsat News. 2019-11-25. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  5. ^ "Un nouvel espace pour les start-up". La Jaune et la Rouge (in French). 2018-06-03. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  6. ^ Meddah, Hassan (2017-07-08). "ThrustMe emmène les minisatellites en orbite". L'Usine Nouvelle (in French). Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  7. ^ "French startup raises $1.9 million for smallsat electric propulsion". SpaceNews.com. 2017-06-16. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  8. ^ "Electric propulsion startup ThrustMe gets $2.8 million from European Commission". SpaceNews.com. 2018-08-09. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  9. ^ "Ane Aanesland, de chercheuse au CNRS à CEO de ThrustMe | Bpifrance servir l'avenir". www.bpifrance.fr (in French). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  10. ^ Couto, Alexandre (2019-11-04). "ThrustMe met en orbite le premier satellite utilisant de l'iode pour se propulser". Industry-techno (in French). Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  11. ^ "ThrustMe's Iodine Propulsion System Launched Aboard Spacety's Smallsat". Satnews. 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  12. ^ "Iodine thruster could slow space junk accumulation". esa.int. 2021-01-22. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  13. ^ Rafalskyi, Dmytro; Martínez Martínez, Javier; Habl, Lui; Zorzoli Rossi, Elena; Proynov, Plamen; Boré, Antoine; Baret, Thomas; Poyet, Antoine; Lafleur, Trevor; Dudin, Stanislav; Aanesland, Ane (17 November 2021). "In-orbit demonstration of an iodine electric propulsion system". Nature. 599 (7885): 411–415. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04015-y. PMC 8599014. PMID 34789903. Both atomic and molecular iodine ions are accelerated by high-voltage grids to generate thrust, and a highly collimated beam can be produced with substantial iodine dissociation.
  14. ^ Ravisetti, Monisha (18 November 2021). "In a space first, scientists test ion thrusters powered by iodine". CNET. Red Ventures. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  15. ^ "Iodine thruster used to change the orbit of a small satellite for the first time ever". www.esa.int. The European Space Agency. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  16. ^ Jones, Andrew (2019-11-25). "French startup ThrustMe found fast route to orbit through China's Spacety". Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  17. ^ "ThrustMe's Iodine Propulsion System Launched Aboard Spacety's Smallsat". Sat News. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  18. ^ Werner, Debra (6 November 2020). "Spacety launches satellite to test ThrustMe iodine electric propulsion and constellation technologies". Space News. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  19. ^ Jones, Andrew (2020-03-25). "China launches first Long March 8 from Wenchang spaceport". Spacenews. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  20. ^ "Imagery from Hisea-1 SAR Satellite Unveiled". 2020-12-30. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  21. ^ "Iodine Electric Propulsion To Become A Critical Subsystem For SAR Constellations". Sat News. 3 January 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  22. ^ "Norway Selects Space Flight Laboratory (SFL) to Develop Technology Demonstrator Microsatellite | UTIAS Space Flight Laboratory". www.utias-sfl.net. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  23. ^ Romsenter, Norsk. "Agreement signed with the Netherlands for Norway's new satellite". Norwegian Space Agency. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  24. ^ "ESA and GomSpace sign contract for continuation of the GOMX-5 mission". News Powered by Cision. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  25. ^ "GOMX 5A, 5B". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 2021-11-25.
  26. ^ "INSPIRESAT-4/ARCADE : a VLEO mission for atmospheric temperature measurements and ionospheric plasma characterization". Nanyang Technological University. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  27. ^ "INSPIRESat-4". University of Colorado. Retrieved 2021-11-26.
  28. ^ "Les 70 startups internationales lauréates du french tech ticket saison 2" (PDF). finances.gouv.fr (in French). 2017-03-07. p. 27. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  29. ^ "Quatre projets lauréats du Concours i-LAB 2017 (dont un Grand Prix) sont accompagnés par la SATT Paris-Saclay" (PDF) (in French). SATT Paris-Saclay. 2017-07-07. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
  30. ^ "Palmarès Spécial Innovation Spatiale 2017 -". Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  31. ^ Poncet, Guerric (2019-11-28). "Ane Aanesland, la mécano de l'espace". Le Point (in French). Retrieved 2020-04-23.
  32. ^ Koppe, Martin (2019-12-09). "Four Aces for Innovation". news.cnrs.fr (in French). Retrieved 2021-07-26.
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