Hall-effect thruster system with applied counter-torque

A Hall effect thruster system comprising a thruster body and a diffuser configured to eject ionizable propellant into an annular channel formed in the thruster body in a direction that applies a counter-torque on the thruster body in a rotational direction that is opposite a rotational direction of a torque induced on the thruster body by a Hall current in the annular channel,

• the system further comprising curvilinear propellant channels formed through a body of the diffuser, each propellant channel having an inlet end that receives the ionizable propellant and an outlet end from which the propellant is ejected into the annular channel,
• wherein the inlet end and the outlet end of each propellant channel are axially spaced apart in the direction of a central axis of the diffuser, and
• wherein the diffuser ejects the propellant into the annular channel with a tangential velocity to apply said counter-torque, the velocity being tangential to a circle that is concentric with the annular channel.