AIS-VAT1-PQ Micro Vacuum Arc Thruster
Applied Ion Systems
The smallest thruster in the AIS-VAT Series — an ultra-low-cost micro vacuum arc thruster sized for 1.5P PocketQubes up to 1U CubeSats, using solid Bismuth fuel for maximum thrust-to-power ratio.
Key figurescomparable across the catalogue
- Mass
- 0.056 kg
- Power
- 2.5 W
- Largest dimension
- 42 mm
- Thrust
- 4.2 N
- Specific impulse
- 87 s
- Total impulse
- 0.13 N·s
- Lead time
- 0.921 months
Normalised to common units so this product can be compared with others in its category. The supplier's own wording is below.
As published by the supplier
- Type
- Micro Vacuum Arc Thruster
- Power
- 2.5 W or 5 W Options
- Min thrust
- 4.2uN (<1 W)
- Max thrust (2.5W)
- 13uN
- Max thrust (5W)
- 26uN
- Shot lifetime
- 40,000
- Total impulse
- 0.13Ns
- ISP
- 87s
- Orbital movement (0.25kg 1P)
- 950m
- Orbital movement (0.5kg 2P)
- 475m
- Orbital movement (0.75kg 3P)
- 315m
- Orbital movement (1kg 1U)
- 240m
- Rep rate
- 1-4 Hz (2.5 W), 1-8 Hz (5 W)
- Dimensions
- 42x42x21 mm
- Mass
- 56 g
- Fuel
- Bismuth
- Inputs
- 5 V, GND, x2 Logic Pulses
- Price
- $2500.00
- Status
- AVAILABLE
- Lead time
- 4 WEEKS
About
The AIS-VAT1-PQ Micro Vacuum Arc Thruster is the smallest of the thrusters in the AIS-VAT Series, serving as a powerful ultra low-cost platform for 1.5P PocketQubes up to 1U Cubesats. The VAT1-PQ leverages extreme simplicity in both the electronics and thruster design itself, making the thruster highly compact, low-cost, easy to manufacture, and simple to integrate. At only 42x42x21mm in volume, and available in either 2.5W or 5W options, with simple triggering and high firing reliability, the VAT1-PQ allows for any nanosat and picosat team to explore the use of EP with minimal volume and power budget.
At only $2500.00 in price, the VAT1-PQ is also the lowest cost off-the-shelf electric propulsion system on the market. While most micro-VATs utilize Titanium fuel, AIS has developed the VAT1-PQ exclusively optimized around solid Bismuth fuel, which has several distinct advantages over the commonly used Titanium. Bismuth has one of the highest thrust/power ratios of any solid metal fuel used in VAT systems, as well as the lowest ignition voltage, allowing for easy triggering, high reliability, and operation over a wider range of burning voltages.
Flight heritage: Integrated and tested for orbital use. Status: AVAILABLE.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.