Researchers at MIT are testing a new propulsion technology that could give small satellites a major boost in capability. The system combines two very different forms of spacecraft propulsion in a single package, allowing satellites to perform both rapid maneuvers and highly efficient long-distance travel.

At the heart of the design is a single propellant that can power both chemical and electric thrusters. Traditionally, these systems require separate fuel sources, adding complexity and taking up valuable space on a spacecraft.

“If you can have chemical and electrical propulsion in one small package, it’s the best of both worlds,” says Amelia Bruno, a former postdoctoral researcher in MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro). “This opens the door for small satellites to do even more science, more observations, and more interesting missions, all on a smaller and cheaper platform.”

Bruno is the lead author of a study published in the Journal of Propulsion and Power. The research demonstrates that a type of environmentally friendlier monopropellant originally developed by the U.S. Air Force for chemical propulsion can also be used to operate miniature electric thrusters known as electrospray thrusters.