Helicontype radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic plasma. Hdlt stands for helicon double layer thruster physics. Numerical simulations of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report contractor cisas g. Development of a helicon double layer thruster iopscience. Magnetic steering of a helicon double layer thruster. Helicon double layer thruster a helicon double layer thruster is a type of plasma thruster, which ejects high velocity ionized gas to provide thrust to a spacecraft. Pdf a prototype of the helicon double layer thruster hdlt, a new magneto plasma thruster that produces a high velocity collimated ion. Hdlt helicon double layer thruster 2002, electrodeless radiofrequency rf plasma thruster astrium airbus 200620 ds4g dual stage four grid thruster 20052006, ion gridded rf thruster european space agency esa pr pocket rocket thruster 2010, electrothermal rf plasma microthruster lockheed martin us 202015 hdlt gen i. These new and improved tools include a novel 2d code of the plasmawave interaction, and.
The helicon double layer thruster hdlt is an electrode free radio frequency power driven device described in detail in reference. The annular ionization area is aligned with an annular acceleration stage similar to the electricalmagnetic acceleration stage of a hall effect thruster. How is helicon double layer thruster physics abbreviated. Performance of a helicon hall thruster operating with xenon. Ion acceleration mechanisms of helicon thrusters thesis committee. A proof of concept of a helicon double layer thruster has been performed at the australian national university with some direct thrust measurements 9. The ion beam generated by a helicon double layer has been electrically steered up to 20 off axis by using a solenoid placed normal to the two axial solenoids of the helicon plasmasource without significantly changing the beam exhaust velocity. Performance analysis of a mediumpower helicon thruster. This new propulsion concept has the potential to propel humans to mars and beyond and greatly decrease the costs of maintaining satellites and spacecraft in their desired orbits. Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double gun. Testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in a spacesimulation chamber. Measurements in vacuum on thrust balances show a thrust of about 1 mn100 watts input rf power. Electrostatic rf thrusters, such as the helicon double layer thruster hdlt3 and the neptune thruster,4 use both free standing dc and applied rf electric elds to accelerate ions. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster.
Xenon ion beam characterization in a helicon double layer. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt is being developed in the space plasma, power and propulsion group led by professor christine charles at the research school of physics at the australian national university in canberra, australia. Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double gun thruster nao murakami, robert winglee, b. Plasma gets heated when the antenna excites a helicon wave in the plasma. Spatially and vectorresolved momentum flux lost to a wall in a. Suresh menon school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Performance characterization of a helicon double layer thruster. Walker, advisor associate professor school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. A mediumpower helicon thruster mpht is an electric propulsion device that uses a helicon plasma source to achieve specific impulses of up to 1500 s with argon propellant. Electrostatic ion thrusters are a highly fuel efficient means to propel a spacecraft, with the limitation that the maximum thrust they can provide is significantly less than that of a chemicalbased rocket. In this thruster design, gas is injected into a tubular chamber the source tube with one open end.
The ion production cost of a helicon plasma source is determined using a gridded ion thruster con. The ion beam generated by a helicon double layer has been electrically steered up to 20 off axis by using a solenoid placed normal to the two axial solenoids of the helicon plasma source without s. Pdf testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in. Holes in the ring also serve as the gas feed, as shown in the upper cross section. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep. A helicon double layer thruster hdlt is a type of plasma thruster, which ejects high velocity ionized gas to provide thrust to a spacecraft. The program then reads five values from the multimeter and stores them in a txt file for each. Physics 2005 university of california, san diego submitted to the department of nuclear science and engineering and the department of electrical engineering and computer science in partial ful. Jerry seitzman school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Rearrange individual pages or entire files in the desired order.
Propulsion mechanisms in a helicon plasma thruster by nareg sinenian b. So far, there is no theoretical explanation for the formation. Overview of advanced electromagnetic propulsion development. Description of the helicon double layer device based on most of the helicon double layer devices on the literature 45611, the hdlt helicon double layer thruster of unb has three types of magnetic coils containing 730, 912 and 710 loops of 3mm diameter 10 awg copper insulated. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster concept. Jan 22, 2016 the helicon double layer thruster is a prototype spacecraft propulsion engine.
Propulsion systems for cubesats australian centre for space. Analysis of magnetic nozzles for space plasma thrusters. A key feature of the helicon source is an axial magnetic field that provides an efficient mechanism for forming the plasma. Electrothermal rf thrusters, such as the phase four rft and electron. Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double.
The helicon doublelayer thruster is a prototype spacecraft propulsion engine. Data will be acquired digitally and stored in files so that the brightness of any region of. The axial electric field of the double layer accelerates ions along the. Currentfree electric double layer in a small collisional. Hdlt is defined as helicon double layer thruster physics somewhat frequently. In parallel with the development of basic global models of plasmas for electric. Nasa development of a superconducting helicon thruster. It seems also possible to further develop the phenomenon to be used as a new form of space plasma propulsion. New advances on the simulation of the helicon plasma discharge are also detailed.
This concept was named the helicon double layer thruster hdlt. Pdf space simulation testing of the helicon double layer. A currentfree electric double layer is created in a helicon double layer thruster operating with xenon and compared to a recently developed theory. Performance tests and space qualification are under way in three space simulation facilities. Facility effects on helicon thruster operation approved by. The pppl highlights for the week ending november 21, 2014.
Acceleration power distribution in helicon electrostatic thruster iepc2017194 presented at the 35th international electric propulsion conference georgia institute of technology atlanta, georgia usa october 8 12, 2017 daisuke ichihara1, yoshiya nakagawa2, akira iwakawa3 and akihiro sasoh4. The helicon thruster is a potential inspace propulsion system that uses a cylindrical helicon plasma source to inductively develop nonthermal plasma. Direct thrust measurement of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster. Mitchell walker, advisor school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. First performance measurements of the phase four rf thruster. Helicon double layer thruster of unb has three types of magnetic coils. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology invented by professor rod boswell. References an analysis of current propulsion systems. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep missions. Figure 4 shows the schematic diagrams of the permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster pmhdlt attached to a pendulum thrust. The first is the helicon double layer thruster, which produces a beam of low energy ions and a group of neutralising electron and is a true plasma thruster. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt concept is based on the recent discovery of a currentfree electric double layer dl in a helicon. Effect of source diameter on helicon plasma thruster.
Helicon double layer thruster sp3 has invented the worlds first helicon double layer thruster hdlt. Heliconx3 propulsion control system upgrades marine services 58. Atoms of a propellant gas are ionized in a helicon plasma source, preferably in an annular area between inner and outer cylinders. Acurrentfree electric double layer is created in a helicon double layer thruster operating with xenon and compared to a recently developed theory. Hdlt helicon double layer thruster physics acronymfinder.
Wilhite langley professor of the practice school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Anu where a new type of electrostatic ion thruster, called the helicon double layer thruster hdlt, is being developed. The helicon double layer thruster, a new magnetoplasma thruster that accelerates ions to supersonic velocities using a currentfree electric double layer, has been tested successfully for the. Helicon double layer thruster for high power near earth planets missions. Appendix d documents the main aspects of the dimagno code, including some. Ion production cost of a gridded helicon ion thruster. Injecting gas into the tubular region, causes antenna wrapped around the chamber to emit electromagnetic wave due to which the gas breaks down and results in plasma formation. These measurements are used in conjunction with previous characterization of the helicon plasma to create a model of the discharge plasma within the gridded thruster. Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double layer. Pdf high density mode in xenon produced by a helicon. Performance characterization of a helicon double layer thruster using direct thrust measurements. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt is a relatively new electric propulsion concept. Division of space plasma power and propulsion cpf anu.
Spatially limited ion acoustic wave activity in lowpressure helicon discharges. What links here related changes upload file special pages permanent link page. A prototype of the helicon double layer thruster hdlt, a new magnetoplasma thruster that produces a high velocity collimated ion beam using a currentfree double layer, has been tested and. Helicon double layer thruster breakthrough in 2003, researchers at the australian national university in canberra created a plasma double layer in the laboratory. A plasma is formed between the coaxial cylinders by applying a high voltage to the anode ring at the left.
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