France is actively working on plasma rocket propulsion. It has a long-standing, world-class program in this area, primarily focused on Hall-effect thrusters (a leading type of plasma propulsion) and related electric propulsion technologies for satellites and spacecraft.

Key Players and Activities

• CNES (French space agency) has supported plasma propulsion since the 1990s, collaborating with manufacturers on Hall thrusters for orbit raising, station-keeping, and all-electric satellites.
• Safran (via its propulsion division, formerly Snecma) develops and qualifies commercial systems like the PPS®1350-G and higher-power PPS®5000 thrusters. These are used on European satellites (e.g., Eutelsat, Eurostar Neo platforms) and have flown successfully.
• Research institutions: CNRS, École Polytechnique (Plasma Physics Laboratory), and ONERA conduct fundamental work. In 2023, they created the COMHET joint lab with Safran for next-gen Hall-effect thrusters (HETs), focusing on plasma physics and improved performance.
• Startups like ThrustMe (spun from École Polytechnique/CNRS research) specialize in compact plasma systems, including iodine-fueled thrusters demonstrated in orbit.

Recent and Ongoing Developments

France continues advancing plasma tech for efficiency, higher power (e.g., multi-kW thrusters), and new concepts like wall-less designs or electrodeless variants.

Viral stories about a "solid-state plasma engine with no fuel" are somewhat exaggerated or simplified — they often refer to ongoing electrodeless or advanced plasma research, but France's core strength remains proven Hall thrusters and related electric propulsion.

This work is often in partnership with ESA, building on decades of expertise (e.g., early flights like the Stentor satellite in the early 2000s).

In short: France is not just "working on" plasma propulsion — it’s a leader in operational Hall thrusters and continues investing in next-generation systems for satellites and deeper space missions.