In 2023, the Paihau-Robinson installed its first superconducting electromagnet prototype onto an ion thruster at Nagoya University in Japan. During tests, they successfully fired the thruster more than a hundred times. Their electromagnet generated magnetic fields of 1 tesla with less than 1 watt of magnet power. Compared to traditional copper electromagnets, this was a 99 percent reduction of input power. At the same time, it generated a magnetic field three times as strong.
The Kōkako thruster
To further test their electromagnet, the Paihau-Robinson team is developing its own thruster, called Kōkako, at their lab in Wellington.
“The Kōkako thruster offers several advantages over existing electric propulsion systems,” a post on Victoria University’s website explains. “It can operate with various propellants, enhancing its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.”