"ESA Develops Revolutionary Pinhole Propulsion System for Satellites"
European Space Agency (ESA) is developing a palm-sized propulsion system called ATHENA, which uses electrospray technology to propel CubeSats and small satellites. The system, based on ionic-liquid salts as fuel, achieved over 400 hours of continuous operation and offers highly customizable thrust. The micro-fabricated ATHENA system uses non-toxic propellants and can be clustered together to provide thrust for satellites up to 50kg in mass. The project is expected to be completed by the end of next year.