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Design and microstructuring of materials to boost spacecraft ion propulsion

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As new materials and manufacturing techniques are discovered, their benefits transform every branch of science and engineering. In spacecraft propulsion, a new generation of ion engines could provide unprecedented performance and flexibility in space mission design.

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Fig. 1: Electric thruster performance and details of electrospray thruster design.

References

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Correspondence to Paulo C. Lozano.

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Lozano, P.C. Design and microstructuring of materials to boost spacecraft ion propulsion. Nat Rev Mater (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-024-00664-3

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