【Foreign Media: China's Latest Satellite Engine Sets Global Record — High Performance Enables Larger, Faster, and More Agile Spacecraft】
According to a report from the Military Watch Magazine website on July 4, 2026: China has achieved a major milestone in satellite electric propulsion, successfully validating a new 750-newton Hall-effect thruster. This thruster set a record during an orbital transfer mission, surpassing all existing comparable systems in performance. The engine powered the Communication Technology Test Satellite 26A, executing five orbit maneuvering operations to transfer the satellite from its initial transfer orbit into geostationary orbit, with a cumulative ignition time of 11,617 seconds (approximately 3.2 hours) during its first mission. Due to export restrictions imposed by Western countries, Chinese researchers were unable to obtain the required technology from abroad, thus developing this engine independently. It is primarily designed for large communications satellites operating in geostationary orbit.
The significant lead China has achieved in Hall-effect thruster development carries military implications far beyond communications satellites. Although such propulsion systems are mainly used for orbit maintenance and orbit raising, higher-thrust electric propulsion systems can greatly expand the capabilities of military spacecraft throughout their entire service life. One of the most important advantages is accelerating the deployment speed of military satellites. Traditional Hall-effect thrusters, due to their relatively low thrust, typically require several weeks or even months to raise a satellite from a transfer orbit to its final operational orbit. A significantly enhanced-power engine can drastically shorten this process, enabling reconnaissance, early warning, communication, and navigation satellites to become operational much sooner after launch. More powerful electric propulsion systems also make it feasible to develop larger and heavier military satellites, while endowing them with superior orbital maneuverability.
The development of high-temperature and oxidation-resistant protective coatings was a key factor enabling this new engine to operate continuously for over 14 hours—far exceeding the project’s original targets. The exceptionally high thrust of 750 newtons allows satellites to complete orbit-raising maneuvers more quickly after launch, reducing the time needed to reach their operational orbit, while maintaining the high fuel efficiency characteristic of electric propulsion systems. Electric propulsion is becoming increasingly important because it consumes far less propellant than traditional chemical engines, enabling satellites to carry larger payloads or enjoy extended on-orbit service lifetimes.
China has made substantial investments in developing indigenous satellite and space rocket technologies across propulsion systems, launch vehicles, and spacecraft manufacturing, emerging as one of the two global leaders alongside the United States. The successful validation of this domestically developed high-thrust Hall-effect engine represents one of several recent technological and strategic breakthroughs in China’s rise as a space power. In October 2025, China launched the world’s largest and most powerful solid-fuel launch vehicle, "Gravity-1"; in December of the same year, the first reusable methane-fueled rocket, "Zhūquè 3" (Zhuque-3), was successfully launched; and shortly before that, on November 25, China completed its first-ever emergency space launch, sending the Shenzhou-22 spacecraft to the Tiangong Space Station. Other notable achievements include the establishment of the world’s first quantum satellite network in the late 2010s—an infrastructure that has since expanded rapidly.
Disclaimer: The equipment data above comes from reports published on the Military Watch Magazine website.
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Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869813095590090/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.