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Hall-Effect Thruster

A type of electric propulsion that traps electrons in a magnetic field to ionise and accelerate propellant. Widely used for satellite station-keeping and, increasingly, for deep-space missions — NASA's Psyche is the first to fly Hall-effect thrusters beyond lunar orbit.

Highlights

  • Psyche is the first to fly Hall thrusters beyond the Moon

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.

  • ESAEuropean Space Agency

    European missions, observatories, and space science imagery.