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AsteriaStar
Propulsion method

Resistojet Thruster

The simplest electric thruster: propellant is warmed by flowing over an electrically heated element and then expelled through a nozzle. Modest but reliable, resistojets have long been used for satellite attitude control and station-keeping, bridging cold-gas systems and higher-performance electric propulsion.

Highlights

  • Propellant warmed by a heated element — simple and reliable

Across space engineering

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration

    Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.

    Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.