StoryHardware
Muon Space fires first zinc-fueled Hall-effect thruster in space
Muon Space announced the first successful in-space firing of a solid-metal zinc-fueled Hall-effect thruster aboard the SERT-III test spacecraft. The thruster uses cheap, non-toxic solid metal propellant, eliminating high-pressure gas tanks and conventional plumbing.
- First firing July 1, 2026; announced September 10, 2026 as Starlight thruster system.
- Zinc solid propellant is stable at room temperature; costs less than xenon gas.
- No high-pressure tanks, plumbing, or corrosive propellant handling required.
- Simpler spacecraft design with fewer failure modes versus conventional xenon systems.
- Customer units planned for delivery end-2026; second-generation thruster first-orbit demo Q1 2027.