Magnetic sail is an advanced propulsion method based on solar wind plasma. It deflects the solar wind plasma to generate thrust by a magnetic field from a large-scale coil. Because magnetic sail has a higher propulsion impulse and thrust power ratio than conventional electric propulsion， it has important application potential in long-period interplanetary missions. With the development of planetary exploration missions such as Jupiter in recent years， magnetic sails have gradually attracted researchers’ interest in propulsion technology. This paper introduces the principle of magnetic sail， the calculation of its thrust， and the research process of magnetic sail miniaturization design. It summarizes the numerical analysis method and main experimental results in magnetic sail， comparing with the application of magnetic sail in different tasks. Finally， it outlines the main technical barriers and future potential development direction of magnetic sail， which provides a reference for the research of magnetic sail in China.