（http://www.spacemart.com/reports/USAF_Eyes_Mini_Thrusters_For_Use_In_Satellite_Propulsion_999.html）

USAF Eyes Mini-Thrusters For Use In Satellite Propulsion

A prototype of a miniature electrospray thruster with four rows of ion emitters is shown here. The thruster is contained within two black plates each measuring about one square inch. Credit: Credit: Dr. Paulo Lozano, MIT

by Staff Writers
Wright Patterson AFB OH (SPX) Mar 04, 2010
Mini- thrusters or miniature, electric propulsion systems are being developed, which could make it easier for the Air Force's small satellites, including the latest CubeSats, to perform space maneuvers and undertake formidable tasks like searching for planets beyond our solar system.

With Air Force Office of Scientific Research funding, researchers led by Dr. Paulo Lozano at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are considering the advantages of electric propulsion over more traditional chemical rocketry. As a result, they have discovered "ionic liquid ion sources" which are the core elements of the mini-thruster.

In addition to the benefits anticipated for small satellites, the technology may have applicability in completely different areas.

"Fast-moving ions coming out from the mini-thrusters can be used to etch semiconductors to create patterns in the nanometer scale, to fabricate computer chips or small mechanical devices," said Lozano.

The team is interested in the properties that allow advances in travel between different orbits in space and the ability for spacecraft to self-destruct upon controlled re-entry, therefore preventing the creation of additional space debris.

Lozano predicts that he will have a mini-thruster prototype developed in about four or five months and he expects the technology to become a reality in the next two years.

He plans to begin measuring the velocity of the ions and their energy as soon as the prototype is ready to determine the thrust and efficiency of the engine. Later this year, the team will begin looking at how to integrate mini-thrusters to flight hardware.

（http://www.space.cetin.net.cn/index.asp?modelname=new_space%2Fnews_nr&FractionNo=&titleno=XWEN0000&recno=65734）

美国空军着眼于将迷你推力器用于卫星推进  

新闻发布时间：2010-03-04

 
　　[据美国空军网站2010年3月2日报道]  迷你推力器或小型电推进系统正在开发中，它们将使得空军的小卫星（如最新的立方体卫星）更易执行太空机动，并完成像寻找太阳系外行星这样艰巨的任务。
　　
　　利用美国空军科学研究办公室的资金，由美国麻省理工学院罗扎诺博士领导的研究人员，正在考虑电推进与传统化学火箭相比具有的优势。结果，他们发现“离子性液体离子源”是迷你推力器的核心元素。
　　
　　迷你推力器可使太空中的航天器在不同轨道间移动，也能够让航天器在受控再入时自毁，由此防止产生额外的太空垃圾。除了应用于小卫星，此项技术还可能应用于完全不同的领域。产生于迷你推力器的快速移动离子能被用于蚀刻半导体，由此创造出纳米级模式，制造计算机芯片或小型化学装置。
　　
罗扎诺博士预测，在未来4或5个月内将开发出迷你推力器的样机，他希望此项技术在未来2年将变为现实。他计划一旦确定了样机发动机的推力和效率，就开始测量离子的速度和它们的能量。今年晚些时候，该团队将开始考虑如何将迷你推力器集成到飞行硬件上。（中国航天工程咨询中心 谢慧敏 郭多娴）