Muon Space Achieves World-First: Zinc Propellant Hall-Effect Thruster Successfully Fires in Space

Starlight propulsion system validated on orbit to pave the way for customer constellation deployments later in 2026

Muon Space's zinc-fueled Starlight Hall-effect thruster on orbit, imaged by an onboard camera on SERT-III.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Muon Space , the Mission Foundry for high-performance satellite constellations, today announced the successful first-ever in-space firing of a zinc-fueled Hall-effect thruster. The burn was executed aboard SERT-III, a dedicated propulsion test spacecraft designed, built, and launched by Muon in less than one year. The milestone firing validates the company's Starlight electric propulsion system end-to-end in the orbital environment, and establishes a new benchmark for what is possible in commercial electric propulsion.

Muon Space's Starlight thruster during hot fire testing.