As spacecraft become smaller and smaller, so do the corresponding power generation devices, such as solar arrays. Satellite thermal management becomes a bigger issue because it is more difficult to dissipate heat from power consuming satellite components. As a result, smaller micro-spacecraft demand that less power be consumed by spacecraft components. Marotta Scientific Controls has developed a unique Micro-Thruster and electronics driver combination that is capable of very low-power operation. The resulting low-power component provides an order of magnitude reduction in solenoid coil heating compared to an ordinary continuous duty solenoid valve.

Also see Marotta Cold Gas Micro-Thruster article - Aerospace Engineering Technology Update - December 2003 (28.8K PDF)