Acceleration without fuel: superconducting thruster uses Earth's magnetic field
SMRTR summary
New Zealand startup Zenno Astronautics has successfully tested a fuel-free thruster that uses superconducting magnets to interact with Earth's magnetic field, allowing satellites to change direction using only solar power. The shoebox-sized "Supertorquer" was tested on the Mira satellite launched in November 2025. Future applications could include spacecraft docking, lunar and Mars missions, and even magnetic shields to protect astronauts from dangerous cosmic radiation.
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