"Exploring the Origins of ESA: A Journey Before the Vacuum"
Engineers at the ESA Propulsion Laboratory are using the CORONA test facility, the largest vacuum chamber, to evaluate a compact electric propulsion design for microsatellites and CubeSats. Electric propulsion, which achieves high efficiency by accelerating propellant through electrical or magnetic methods, requires vacuum conditions for operation. The test chambers are equipped with pumps and coolers to create a vacuum environment. The lab also conducts testing for cold gas thrusters and liquid flow, and aims to accelerate the development of propulsion systems, simulation tools, and training for the next generation of engineers.