T5 Ion Thruster
QinetiQ Space
10 cm gridded Kaufman ion thruster for small satellite electric propulsion — flight-proven on ESA's GOCE satellite with 36,000+ hours accumulated.
Technical specifications
- Grid Diameter
- 10 cm
- Max Thrust
- ~25 mN
- Propellant
- Xenon
- Type
- Gridded Kaufman ion thruster
- Flight Heritage
- ESA GOCE (2009–2013)
- Accumulated Operations
- >36,000 hours on single engine
About
The QinetiQ T5 Ion Thruster is a 10 cm diameter Kaufman-configuration gridded ion thruster designed for small satellite electric propulsion. It achieved an extraordinary operational record aboard ESA’s GOCE (Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer) satellite, accumulating over 36,000 hours of thrust operation on a single engine — validating the technology’s reliability for long-duration space missions.
The T5 is well-suited for drag compensation missions, high-drag LEO operations, and precision orbit control for scientific satellites. It uses xenon propellant and operates in a steady-state gridded configuration. The thruster is complemented by the larger T6 and T7 variants in QinetiQ’s ion propulsion product family, providing a scalable electric propulsion solution from small satellite to interplanetary mission classes.
Documentation
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