Аннотация:Improving the thruster efficiency is a crucial challenge for the development of space electricpropulsion systems, especially advanced air-breathing thrusters utilizing the surrounding rarefiedatmosphere as fuel. A significant reduction in thruster power consumption can be achieved byusing field emission (FE) cathodes that do not require heating and have the highest energyefficiency. In this work, we study FE from nano-graphite thin films, consisting of carbonnanostructures with a high aspect ratio, and demonstrate their suitability for use in the spaceelectric propulsion systems. The films shown appropriate FE characteristics in a wide range ofgas pressures at high current loads in constant and pulsed operation modes. Based on theobtained experimental results, nano-graphite cathodes were employed for the design of anelectron gun with increased reliability and minimized energy losses associated with electronextraction. The possibility of using such a gun in a specific air-breathing satellite operating inlow Earth orbits is demonstrated.