Welcome to The Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Space Propulsion Laboratory
 Impulsing New Ideas Into Higher Orbits
The Space Propulsion Laboratory, formerly known as the Space Power and Propulsion Lab is the place at MIT where you will find the latest in spacecraft propulsion research. SPL is part of the Space Systems Lab in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
SPL is growing in response to new challenges and requirements presented by the aerospace community. The need to increase performance and reduce costs of space propulsion systems has caused a dynamic research environment in which advanced concepts are studied and developed. This is particularly true for electric propulsion, in which the energy required to move the spacecraft is electric in nature as opposed to chemical. Particles are charged by gas or liquid ionization and then accelerated with electromagnetic fields to velocities much larger than with conventional rockets. The benefits are numerous and very important, that is the reason why many communication satellites and scientific missions are turning to electric propulsion systems. In the future these plasma engines will allow people to do such things as explore in more detail the structure of the universe, increase the life-time of commercial payloads or look for signs of life in far away places.
Our lab has a strong program in both theoretical and experimental research in diverse types of propulsion systems. From Hall, Electrospray and RF thrusters to mission optimization and tether technologies, SPL will most certainly continue to play an important role in space propulsion technology development. |
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