High Power Helicon (HPH) Plasma Thruster



People:

Robert Winglee | B. Race Roberson



HPH operation The high power helicon is a state of the art electrodeless plasma thruster. This mean that issues associated with erosion of electrode by the plasma is eliminated. The plasma itself is generated by high power radio frequency waves that allow substantial felixbility in operational characteristics. it is also very much small than other plasma thruster, which adds to to versatility.

new chamber

HPH is presently undergoing rigorously testing for performanace optimization. The testing to date shows excellent power and gas efficiency over two orders of magnitude in power and gas flow rate.
HPH under operation with argon.






Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences Homepage
Updated November 2011