CubeSat propulsion system seeks funding

Space.com : A new plasma propulsion system is being developed for CubeSats to allow them to venture beyond Earth orbit. The technology could help cut the cost of interplanetary exploration because the tiny, 5-kg satellites cost much less to develop and launch than conventional ones. The CubeSat Ambipolar Thruster (CAT) is similar to the ion engine driving NASA’s Dawn spacecraft, but on a micro scale. Powered by solar panels, CAT will generate thrust by accelerating superheated ionized gas out of a discharge chamber. To get the project going, the researchers are seeking a minimum of $200 000 through the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. The tiny craft could have many uses, including scouting asteroids for raw materials like iron and nickel, providing cheap global internet access, studying space weather and the impacts of solar flares, and looking for life on other worlds.