PPT (Pulsed Plasma Thruster)

A Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) is a type of small spacecraft engine that uses electrical energy to generate and accelerate plasma—a super-hot, ionized gas. It works by briefly sending an electrical pulse through a solid propellant, vaporizing part of it into plasma. A magnetic or electric field then accelerates this plasma backward, producing a tiny thrust that propels the spacecraft forward. PPTs are efficient for small satellites because they provide precise, controllable, and relatively simple propulsion, making them ideal for station-keeping, orbital adjustments, and attitude control in space.