Helicon plasma thrusters electric rocket propulsion society. A compact permanentmagnet helicon thruster francis f. Testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in a. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep. Helicon double layer thruster performance enhancement via.
A helicon doublelayer thruster hdlt is a type of plasma thruster, which ejects high velocity ionized gas to provide thrust to a spacecraft. The current free double layer in chi kung 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 p l a s m a p o t e n t i a l v v ion axial pump zcm double saddle field antenna energy analyser rfea glass plate 0 15 30 60 solenoids1. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report cisas g. In the present thruster model, ions are accelerated in a potential drop of double layer appearing at the output of the thruster in the divergent magnetic field and due. Suresh menon school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology invented by professor rod boswell. 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. Helicontype radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep missions. Ion detachment in the helicon doublelayer thruster. Division of space plasma power and propulsion cpf anu. So far, there is no theoretical explanation for the formation. After the ion beam exits the annular structure, it merges into a solid centrally peaked structure in the diffusion chamber.
Temporal evolution of double layers in pulsed helicon plasmas. Preliminary investigation of electromagnetic thrust characteristics in electrodeless compact helicon plasma thruster by takahiro nakamura1. The helicon doublelayer thruster is a prototype spacecraft propulsion engine. Nonetheless, though a sudden potential drop cannot be seen, the ion acceleration is still there and can be seen downstream. Plasma chemistry in space propulsion using the helicon. This definition appears somewhat frequently and is found in the following acronym finder categories.
Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report loose leaf unbound edition no binder. The hdlt is based on ion acceleration in a currentfree electric double layer resulting in the formation of an energetic ion beam with low divergence, as the source of thrust. Numerical simulations of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report contractor cisas g. Hdlt helicon double layer thruster physics acronymfinder. Walker, advisor associate professor school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Development of a helicon double layer thruster iopscience. Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double gun thruster nao murakami, robert winglee, b. Colombo, esa, marco manente, ivano musso, johan carlsson on. Electrothermal rf thrusters, such as the phase four rft and electron. It seems also possible to further develop the phenomenon to be used as a new form of space plasma propulsion. Diverging magnetic field lines cause the presheath acceleration of ions, causing a potential jump resembling that of a double layer.
Jerry seitzman school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. The satellite will incorporate dr charles helicon double layer thruster hdlt, which is not only an innovative electrodeless magneto plasma thruster but the first thruster of its kind in the world which will be applied to satellite station keeping and interplanetary space travel. Helicon double layer thruster sp3 has invented the worlds first helicon double layer thruster hdlt. Facility effects on helicon thruster operation approved by. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology. Pdf the performance of a helicon double layer thruster hdlt has been characterized using a pendulum type thrust stand and retarding field energy. Both the experiment and theory show that the operating range of the hdlt in xenon extends to lower pressure than for argon.
Transport of energetic electrons in a magnetically. Pdf testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in. An experimental investigation of alternative propellants. Effect of permanent magnets on plasma confinement and ion. The sheets of charge cause a strong electric field and a correspondingly sharp change in voltage electrical potential across the double layer. Pdf this work describes the development of a helicon double layer thruster and its acquisition system at the university of brasilia plasma physics. Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double. Performance characterization of a helicon double layer thruster using direct thrust measurements. Spatial evolution of an ion beam created by a geometrically expanding lowpressure argon plasma appl. A monopropellant rocket or monoprop rocket is a rocket that uses a single chemical as its propellant chemicalreaction monopropellant rockets. A double layer is a structure in a plasma and consists of two parallel layers with opposite electrical charge. Pdf physical mechanism of currentfree double layers.
Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double. Understanding the physics which govern ion acceleration in each of these devices is important due to the implications on thruster performance. Helicon double layer thruster breakthrough in 2003, researchers at the australian national university in canberra created a plasma double layer in the laboratory. This concept was named the helicon double layer thruster hdlt. Hdlt stands for helicon double layer thruster physics suggest new definition. The present work is devoted to the investigation of the radiofrequency rf inductive discharge placed in an external magnetic field. Effect of exhaust magnetic field in a helicon doublelayer thruster operating in xenon ieee transactions on plasma science, vol. Direct thrust measurements of a permanent magnet helicon double layer thruster have been made using a pendulum thrust balance and a high sensitivity laser displacement sensor. Transport of ion beam in an annular magnetically expanding. 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. Ion acceleration mechanisms of helicon thrusters thesis committee. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology invented by professor rod boswell, both of the australian national university. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt is an electrode free radio frequency power driven device described in detail in reference.
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. The antenna is a copper boswelltype5,6 double saddle constructed of 12. Xenon ion beam characterization in a helicon double layer. To inanu to propose the helicon double layer thruster hdlt vestigate the temporal evolution of the ivdf, the dischargeconcept.
This work describes the development of a helicon double layer thruster and its acquisition system at the university of brasilia plasma physics laboratory. In this thruster design, gas is injected into a tubular chamber the source tube with one open end. That is, the energy needed to propel the spacecraft is contained within the. An ion beam generated by an annular double layer has been measured in a helicon thruster, which sustains a magnetised lowpressure 5.
Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double layer. First performance measurements of the phase four rf thruster. The helicon device employed is a cylindrical helicon of similar dimensions to the helicon double layer thruster. Wilhite langley professor of the practice school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Operating the helicon double layer thruster in a space simulation chamber ieee transactions on plasma science, vol. Helicon double layer thruster concept the hdlt is a magnetoplasma thruster based upon the recent discovery of a currentfree electric double layer in an inductively coupled plasma that is driven by a helicon antenna, expanding in a.
Helicon double layer thruster hdlt operating inside a large volume spacesimulation vacuum chamber. For monopropellant rockets that depend on a chemical reaction, the power for the propulsive reaction and resultant thrust is provided by the chemical itself. Direct thrust measurement of a permanent magnet helicon. 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. The plasma source of these thrusters is based on the helicon plasma discharge. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt concept is based on the recent discovery of a currentfree electric double layer dl in a helicon. Preliminary investigation of electromagnetic thrust.
Mitchell walker, advisor school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. 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. Testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in a spacesimulation chamber. The thruster offers advantages compared to conventional ep technologies due to its simple design and inherent ion acceleration mechanism. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt1,2, being developed as a new electrodeless space plasma engine with extended lifetime, will be presented. Investigation into the formation of dls and the related ionic and electronic behavior in one dimension have been performed experimentally,110 analytically,11 and through simulation. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt concept is based on the recent discovery of a currentfree electric double layer dl in a helicon plasma expanding in a diverging magnetic field. Lomonosov moscow state university, faculty of physics, moscow, russian federation. Undriven double layers observed in plasmas expanding along magnetic fields are the result of a sheath instability connected with the bohm criterion. Plasma thruster tested for mars mission 3 january 2006 image.