 the eps 1350 hall effect plasma thruster draws on safrans long experience with electric propulsion it is designed for orbital transfer station keeping and deorbiting satellites and other spacecraft in particular the eps 1350 was the primary engine on esas lunar probe smart 1 launched in 2003 by an ariane 5 rocket this mission was completed in september 2006 the major advantage of the eps 1350 is of course its very high specific impulse which allows significant weight savings versus platforms using conventional chemical propulsion it also offers an excellent thrust to electrical power ratio which enables reducing operating time or the number of thrusters needed in orbit experience the eps 1350 amply demonstrated its capabilities during esas smart 1 probes mission from earth orbit into orbit around the moon 5 000 hours cumulated operating time in space four of these thrusters handle north south station keeping duties on the alphasat satellite launched in 2013 the eps 1350 was selected by space systems loral in 2016 and will be used on the companys communications satellites for station keeping and for part of the orbit topping operation 