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Plasma and Space Propulsion Lab
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This lab studies microthrusters for micro- and nanosatellites through both experiments and numerical computation.
AboutAbout the lab
Microthrusters that give micro- and nanosatellites greater freedom
The Plasma and Space Propulsion Lab researches and develops small propulsion units (microthrusters) to be mounted on micro- and nanosatellites.
Most micro- and nanosatellites carry no thruster, so they cannot freely choose their own orbits.
With a microthruster on board, a satellite can be controlled more effectively and can also be deorbited safely.
The lab approaches this research through both experiments and numerical computation.
Key terms
- Electrospray
- A phenomenon in which ions are extracted from an electrode at high speed. This lab uses it to produce thrust.
- Ionic liquid
- A liquid with almost zero vapor pressure. It is used as the propellant for thrusters based on electrospray.
- Magnetic nozzle
- A mechanism that accelerates plasma by using the shape of a magnetic field.
- Thruster
- A propulsion device that provides thrust to a satellite.
NewsLab news
A paper from joint research with AIST has been published in Acta Astronautica
A paper from joint research with the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, with a doctoral student as first author, has been published
A paper with a graduate who completed the program in FY2025 as first author has been published in JESA
A paper with a graduate who completed the program in FY2025 as first author has been published in JESA
ResearchResearch themes
Most micro- and nanosatellites carry no propulsion system and cannot choose their own orbits. This lab studies microthrusters that can be mounted on such satellites, using both experiments and numerical simulation.
*Illustrative imageMultimode Micropropulsion
The lab aims to realize a compact thruster that combines high-thrust chemical propulsion with high-specific-impulse electric propulsion. It combines high-precision stereolithography with a high-energy ionic liquid that serves as a shared propellant for both modes and can also be combusted.
*Illustrative imageElectrospray Microthrusters
Thrust is generated by using electrospray to extract ions at high speed from a large array of emitter electrodes. Because the propellant is an ionic liquid with almost zero vapor pressure, no high-pressure gas system is needed, which makes the propulsion system smaller and lighter.
*Illustrative imageMicro Ion Thrusters
The lab has studied small ion thrusters through both numerical analysis and experiments. It is currently researching a DC discharge type that uses a graphene electron source, which does not require propellant, jointly with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), and a microwave electron source of the type also installed on Hayabusa2, jointly with the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA.
*Illustrative imageElectrodeless Magnetic Nozzle Thrusters
The lab studies thrusters that use no electrodes, creating and accelerating plasma with helicon waves and a magnetic nozzle. In joint research with Tohoku University, it investigates how thrust is generated and how the plasma detaches; Tohoku University carries out the experiments and this lab handles the numerical analysis.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Plasma and Space Propulsion Lab consist of faculty, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorYoshinori Takao
- IMS Assistant ProfessorKoki Takagi
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Busek's BET-3 Ion Thruster” Rocketscience14 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Multimode Micropropulsion: “DSI's new Smallsat water-based thruster ( )” Steve Jurvetson from Los Altos, USA / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Electrospray Microthrusters: “Ion Engine Test Firing - GPN” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Micro Ion Thrusters: “Coil–beam spaceship” Wikideas1 / CC0 (cropped)
- Electrodeless Magnetic Nozzle Thrusters: “Hall effect thruster ExoMG Exotrail” Exotrail SA / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Combustion Engineering Lab): “NASA RDE” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Space Flight and Exploration Engineering Lab): “IKAROS solar sail” Andrzej Mirecki / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Clean Energy Conversion Lab): “Toyota, IAA 2024, Hanover (P1200042)” Matti Blume / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Fluid Dynamics Lab): “Micrograph of magnetic microfluidic chip ( )” National Institute of Standards and Technology / Public domain (cropped)
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