GOMX-5 launches with iodine electric propulsion system

(SpaceEnergy) ESA’s GOMX-5 CubeSat has launched carrying an iodine electric propulsion system intended to demonstrate rapid commissioning, orbital manoeuvres and end-of-life disposal.

The 8U spacecraft, developed by GomSpace with support from the European Space Agency, launched on SpaceX’s Transporter-18 mission on 1 October. ESA confirmed the successful launch on 2 October.

A principal mission objective is to commission the propulsion system within 48 hours of launch, allowing GOMX-5 to become capable of collision-avoidance manoeuvres soon after deployment. The mission will subsequently demonstrate manoeuvring relevant to end-of-life disposal under ESA’s space-debris mitigation requirements.

The propulsion subsystem is ThrustMe’s NPT30-I2-1.5U, a gridded-ion system using solid iodine propellant. ThrustMe said when the system was selected that it would provide manoeuvrability for orbit raising and end-of-life disposal.

Iodine can be stored in solid form without the pressurised xenon tanks used by conventional electric-propulsion architectures. ThrustMe integrates the thruster, power electronics, propellant storage and feed system into the propulsion unit.

GOMX-5’s launch establishes the flight phase of the demonstration. ESA had not reported successful propulsion commissioning or an orbital manoeuvre in the official material reviewed.