High Power Helicon Thruster

Experimental set up of the HPH cluster experiment

The experimental apparatus is mounted inside a large cylindrical vacuum chamber. This chamber simulates space-liked conditions for in-flight plasma thrusters.

The High Power Helicon (HPH) thruster is an electrode-less plasma thruster system that uses radio-frequency waves to ionize gas and an array of magnets to optimize energy efficiency & provide focused beams. It is capable of operating from tens of kilowatts to 100's of kilowatts, producing thrust levels up to several Newtons of force.

Based on valuable physical insights in the past fifteen years, the research campaign investigated a cluster of HPH thrusters. With optimum system settings, the HPH cluster experiment can be used for in-space propulsion and space debris removal applications.

Initial operation of the HPH cluster experiment

High Power Helicon Thruster

Advancements of HPH Cluster Experiment