Editing Pulsed plasma thruster (section)

{{short description|Type of propulsion for spacecraft}}
A '''pulsed plasma thruster''' ('''PPT'''), also known as a Pulsed Plasma Rocket ('''PPR'''), or as a plasma jet engine ('''PJE'''), is a form of [[Electrically powered spacecraft propulsion|electric spacecraft propulsion]].<ref name = NASAPPT>{{cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/fs23grc.html|title=NASA Glenn Research Center PPT|work=National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)|access-date=5 July 2013}}</ref> PPTs are generally considered the simplest form of electric spacecraft propulsion and were the first form of electric propulsion to be flown in space, having flown on two Soviet probes ([[Zond 2]] and [[Zond 3]]) starting in 1964.<ref name = SURREY_UNI>{{cite web |url=http://epubs.surrey.ac.uk/26851// |title=Pulsed Plasma Thrusters for Small Satellites |work=Doctoral Thesis - University of Surrey |date=30 September 2011 |author=P. Shaw |access-date=2020-06-27}}</ref> PPTs are generally flown on [[spacecraft]] with a surplus of electricity from abundantly available solar energy.