SpaceX aren't waiting for the not-Hall for their sat-thrusters and are just going to use Hall with argon. Bold move (Cotton). This was all over space-twitter last Sunday, LouGrims yesterday offering about the best take. With maths.
Basically the cost of xenon and even of krypton is no joke. I never thought it was a joke but, yesterday LouGrims was telling me why. These noble-gasses were mined in, er, the Ukraine. Either-way: argon by contrast is 1% air-liquide: $30-50k savings in propellant. Even if Ukraine and Russia suddenly made up tomorrow and started Eastern Europe's biggest neon-lit gay orgy they still cannot make those gasses that much cheaper.
50% efficiency is great; I didn't think we could have this with a classic Hall using argon. ToughSF chimes in that SpaceX does 1000 W/kg against DART-C 342 (a third the alpha!).
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