HPH.COM - Helicon plasma hydrazine combined micro

The objective of the research program is to design, optimize and develop a space plasma thruster based on helicon-radio-frequency technology and its application to a nano-satellite for attitude and position control. Moreover a detailed feasibility study will be also conducted to evaluate the possibility of using the plasma thruster to heat and decompose a secondary propellant. The feasibility study will asses the possibility of building up a combined-two-mode-thruster able to operate in the low-thrust high-efficiency plasma-mode and high-thrust low-efficiency secondary-propellant-plasma-enhanced mode. Only the plasma thruster will be developed and fully tested during this study. The main characteristics of the thruster are: Power 50 W Weight within 1.5 kg Thrust >1.5 mN Specific Impulse (Isp) >1200 s
The program will develop thought the following steps:

• Deep numerical-theoretical investigation through dedicated plasma-simulation tools.
• Extensive experimental campaign to validate codes, to investigate the physics phenomena involved and to proof thruster performance.
• The development of a thruster-prototype to be mounted on board of a mini-satellite to demonstrate technology feasibility,
• The study of all the critical issues related to the application to a mini-satellite
• the design and manufacturing of the mini-satellite mock up including all critical components
• analysis of scaling law to lower and higher power.

As a final results of the project, a detailed analysis will be conducted in order to evaluate the possible application of the thruster in space missions requiring low thrust accurate attitude and position control.

Start date: 2008-12-01
End date: 2011-11-30

Duration: 36 months

Project Reference: 218862

Project cost: 4.9 million euro
Project Funding: 3.57 million euro

Subprogramme Area: SPA-2007-2.2-02 Space transportation
Contract type: Collaborative project (generic)

Coordinatore: UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA - ITALY - FERRI, Francesca (Dr)

Altri Partecipanti

• NATIONAL AEROSPACE UNIVERSITY KHARKIV AVIATION INSTITUTE NAMED BY N ZUKOVSKIY - UKRAINE
• STUDIO PROGETTAZIONE E REALIZZAZIONE DI APPARATI ELETTRO NICI DI SELMO ANTONIO - ITALY
• CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE (CNRS) - FRANCE
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI ROMA LA SAPIENZA - ITALY
• OFFICE NATIONAL D'ETUDES ET DE RECHERCHES AEROSPATIALES-ONERA - FRANCE
• KELDYSH INSTITUTE OF APPLIED MATHEMATICS OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES - RUSSIAN FEDERATION
• LMS IMAGINE SA - FRANCE
• BRADFORD ENGINEERING BV - NETHERLANDS
• ROVSING A/S - DENMARK
• THALES ALENIA SPACE ITALIA SPA - ITALY
• AOES GROUP BV - ADVANCED OPERATIONS AND ENGINEERING SERVICES GROUP BV - NETHERLANDS
• UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRID - SPAIN
• ALMA MATER STUDIORUM-UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA - ITALY
• ENTE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E L'AMBIENTE - ITALY