VXB Aerospace fires AI-designed Zephyr Hall thruster
VXB completed a ground firing of its Zephyr Hall-effect satellite thruster, validating hardware produced through the company's evolutionary design workflow.
Evidence notes
- The company described the firing as the first successful build of an electric small-satellite propulsion system in the Australia-New Zealand region.
- Zephyr uses argon propellant, which VXB positions as substantially less expensive than conventional alternatives while targeting satellites operating below 400 kilometres.
- The programme combined AI-led design with local manufacturing and testing at VXB's Sydney facility, reducing the reported development cycle by more than fivefold.