The installation of such engines will reduce the lifetime of space debris
MOSCOW, December 9. /tass/. Tests of a plasma engine manufactured by a private company that will be able to hold the position of small spacecraft in orbit have begun in Russia. This was reported to TASS by the press service of Sitronics Group.
"Employees of the laboratory of plasma engines of the Institute "Laplaz" of MEPhI together with representatives of the company "Sputnix" (part of the Sitronics Group) have begun testing the first plasma propulsion system in Russia suitable for placement on small spacecraft," the press service noted.
The engine was named VERA (Volume-Effective Rocket-propulsion Assembly). "The small size and mass of the developed engines will make it possible to create and maintain groups of dozens of nanosatellites in orbit," the press service added.
According to the group, after installing such engines on small spacecraft weighing no more than four kg of CubeSat 3U format, they will be able to independently maintain their position in orbit or reduce the height of the orbit with the completion of work, reducing the time to combustion in the upper atmosphere by 2-3 times. Lowering the orbit after the completion of the satellite will reduce the lifetime of space debris.
Such plasma engines will be installed on two satellites of the company "Sputnix". It is planned to send them under the Space PI program in 2022.
