THE USC ADVANCED SPACECRAFT PROPULSION AND ENERGY LABORATORY

Founded in August 2018, the Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion and Energy (ASPEN) Laboratory at USC is a student-led undergraduate research organization dedicated to advancing spacecraft propulsion while providing students with hands-on engineering experience. Our multidisciplinary team brings together students from across engineering disciplines to design, build, and test propulsion technologies in a collaborative learning environment.

Beginning in Fall 2026, ASPEN’s primary objective is the development of a low-cost, low-power Hall-effect thruster. Hall-effect thrusters are electric propulsion devices that ionize a propellant and use electric and magnetic fields to accelerate the resulting ions, producing efficient thrust for spacecraft. The project is currently in the post-Preliminary Design Review (PDR) phase, with the team refining the design and preparing for manufacturing, integration, and testing.

Through this project, ASPEN aims not only to develop a functional thruster but also to give undergraduate students meaningful opportunities to apply classroom concepts, develop practical technical skills, and gain experience throughout the complete engineering design process.

HALL EFFECT THRUSTER

The Hall Effect Thruster is ASPEN's third project, starting in 2025.

ASPEN’s Hall-Effect Thruster project is centered on the design and construction of a low-cost, low-power electric propulsion system. Unlike chemical propulsion systems, Hall-effect thrusters use electric and magnetic fields to ionize and accelerate a propellant, producing efficient thrust for spacecraft.

The primary goal of this project is educational: to give students a deeper understanding of how electric propulsion systems operate through hands-on design, manufacturing, and testing. By building a Hall-effect thruster from the ground up, team members will gain practical experience with plasma physics, electromagnetism, mechanical design, electronics, and vacuum testing. The project is currently in the post-Preliminary Design Review phase, as the team refines its design and prepares to begin manufacturing and testing.