Helicon plasma hydra-zine : combined micro project overview and development status

Current electric propulsion technology is based on families of thrusters able to cope efficiently with different mission profiles. However, they are not versatile enough to allow a unique propulsion system technology for the entire mission. Helicon –source-based plasma thrusters promise to bea very versatile family of systems, able to be adaptedto very different mission configurations with a substantial reduction in costs and increase in reliability. However, their development is mainly confined in theUS and Japan. Moreover, although helicon plasma sources have been proved to be very efficient, theirfundamental physical mechanisms need still to be investigated. The Helicon Plasma Hydrazine.Combined Micro (HPH.com) is a research project funded by the European Committee within the 7th Framework Programme of the EU and conducted by an international consortium. Objective of this research is to significantly improve knowledge on helicon-based plasma thrusters through deep numerical/theoretical investigations and extensive experimental campaigns, and then to apply the results to the design, optimization and development of a space plasma thruster. The thruster will be specifically conceived to be used on board a mini-satellite for attitude and position control in order to allow low-cost demonstration mission. Finally, to further increase versatility of this system, far beyond that of a standard electric thruster, a detailed feasibility study will be also conducted to evaluate the possibility of using plasmas to heat and or decompose a secondary propellant, in order to develop a two-mode system, high-efficiency low-thrust plasma-thruster mode and a low-efficiency high-trust secondarypropellant- plasma–enhanced mode. In the following a general overview of the HPH.com research project and a description of the current project status are presented.