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Dr Charlie Ryan is a Lecturer in Astronautics, specializing in the research and development of low cost micro-propulsion systems for small spacecraft. He has particular expertise in micro and mini electric propulsion, in particular electrospray thrusters and also low cost small hall-effect like thrusters. Also Dr Charlie Ryan has a growing interest in small chemical propulsion systems, particularly using hydrogen peroxide.

Dr Charlie Ryan completed his PhD in 2011 from Queen Mary University of London, investigating the effect of applied voltage on the electrospray process, with a view to applying the findings the electrospray thrusters for spacecraft.

From his PhD completion to 2013 Dr Charlie Ryan continued working on applications of the electrospray process, specifically working as a  Post-doctorate researcher focusing on developing a MEMS electrospray thruster for cubesats, as part of European Commission FP7 ‘MicroThrust’ Project. This involved the experimental characterization of Silicon manufactured micro-electrospray arrays.

In 2014 and 2015 Dr Charlie Ryan moved to the University of Surrey’s Space Centre as a Post Doctoral Research Fellow. He helped to develop a low cost Hall Effect-like thruster (based on cusped magnetic fields), measuring it’s performance, and increasing that performance dramatically from previous versions.