Abstract: In order to summarize the research results of the Hall thruster ignition process and to point out the future research directions, this paper reviews the relevant research progress both at home and abroad. Firstly, the ignition process and its key research points of the Hall thrusters are analyzed in detail. Then, the basic progress and development trend of the cathode electron source effect, ignition conditions, ignition process and plasma evolution process, ignition pulse current and suppression method, and ignition process to steady-state transition process of the Hall thrusters are analyzed and summarized. Finally, for deep space exploration, commercial aerospace and other space advancement tasks in the future, the problems and directions worth studying during the ignition process of the Hall thrusters are put forward.

Key words: Hall thruster, Ignition process, Reliability, Cathode