Abstract: The electric propulsion can provide a substantial mass saving as compared to the conventional chemical engine. It has been widely used for the station keeping and the primary propulsion of geosynchronous satellites in deep space missions. The plume induced by electric propulsion thruster is quite different from that produced by the chemical engine. The interactions between the electric propulsion plume and the spacecraft must be considered by designers. In this paper, the effects of the electric propulsion plume on the spacecraft are discussed. The related ground simulation test, in-flight test and software simulation are reviewed. Some suggestions are made for the research work in this field in China.