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. Helicon plasma thrusters electric rocket propulsion society. Hdlt helicon double layer thruster physics acronymfinder. Division of space plasma power and propulsion cpf anu. The helicon double layer thruster hdlt is an electrode free radio frequency power driven device described in detail in reference. Diverging magnetic field lines cause the presheath acceleration of ions, causing a potential jump resembling that of a double layer. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report cisas g. Temporal evolution of double layers in pulsed helicon plasmas. Transport of ion beam in an annular magnetically expanding.
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. A helicon doublelayer thruster hdlt is a type of plasma thruster, which ejects high velocity ionized gas to provide thrust to a spacecraft. Suresh menon school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. 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. 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. Development of a helicon double layer thruster iopscience. Testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in a. This concept was named the helicon double layer thruster hdlt. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology invented by professor rod boswell. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep. Wilhite langley professor of the practice school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Helicon double layer thruster sp3 has invented the worlds first helicon double layer thruster hdlt. Plasma chemistry in space propulsion using the helicon.
Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double layer. Facility effects on helicon thruster operation approved by. Hdlt stands for helicon double layer thruster physics suggest new definition. Ion acceleration mechanisms of helicon thrusters thesis committee. The helicon double layer thruster, shown in figure 1, generates plasma using a helicon source and accelerates a high energy population of ions across a double layer 3,4. Nonetheless, though a sudden potential drop cannot be seen, the ion acceleration is still there and can be seen downstream. Jerry seitzman school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. Understanding the physics which govern ion acceleration in each of these devices is important due to the implications on thruster performance. Transport of energetic electrons in a magnetically. Walker, advisor associate professor school of aerospace engineering georgia institute of technology dr. 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.
Helicon double layer thruster hdlt operating inside a large volume spacesimulation vacuum chamber. 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. The thruster offers advantages compared to conventional ep technologies due to its simple design and inherent ion acceleration mechanism. In a number of experiments, spontaneous ion accelerations due to formations of a currentfree double layer cfdl and ambipolar electric field are observed in helicon sources as described in sect. The sheets of charge cause a strong electric field and a correspondingly sharp change in voltage electrical potential across the double layer. Numerical simulations of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report contractor cisas g. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology invented by professor rod boswell, both of the australian national university. Pdf testing a helicon double layer thruster immersed in.
Preliminary investigation of electromagnetic thrust. 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. Colombo, esa, marco manente, ivano musso, johan carlsson on. 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. Helicon double layer thruster performance enhancement via. Pdf physical mechanism of currentfree double layers. Pdf performance characterization of a helicon double. Numerical simulation of the helicon double layer thruster concept final report loose leaf unbound edition no binder. To inanu to propose the helicon double layer thruster hdlt vestigate the temporal evolution of the ivdf, the dischargeconcept.
The helicon double layer thruster hdlt1,2, being developed as a new electrodeless space plasma engine with extended lifetime, will be presented. Helicontype radiofrequency plasma thrusters and magnetic. Pdf this work describes the development of a helicon double layer thruster and its acquisition system at the university of brasilia plasma physics. The helicon device employed is a cylindrical helicon of similar dimensions to the helicon double layer thruster. Operating the helicon double layer thruster in a space simulation chamber ieee transactions on plasma science, vol. So far, there is no theoretical explanation for the formation. Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double. Preliminary investigation of electromagnetic thrust characteristics in electrodeless compact helicon plasma thruster by takahiro nakamura1. An ion beam generated by an annular double layer has been measured in a helicon thruster, which sustains a magnetised lowpressure 5. It seems also possible to further develop the phenomenon to be used as a new form of space plasma propulsion. A monopropellant rocket or monoprop rocket is a rocket that uses a single chemical as its propellant chemicalreaction monopropellant rockets. Ions and electrons which enter the double layer are accelerated, decelerated, or reflected by the electric field. In this thruster design, gas is injected into a tubular chamber the source tube with one open end. Pdf the performance of a helicon double layer thruster hdlt has been characterized using a pendulum type thrust stand and retarding field energy.
Undriven double layers observed in plasmas expanding along magnetic fields are the result of a sheath instability connected with the bohm criterion. Both the experiment and theory show that the operating range of the hdlt in xenon extends to lower pressure than for argon. 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. Xenon ion beam characterization in a helicon double layer. Helicon double layer thruster concept for high power nep missions. Effect of permanent magnets on plasma confinement and ion. Effect of exhaust magnetic field in a helicon doublelayer thruster operating in xenon ieee transactions on plasma science, vol. A compact permanentmagnet helicon thruster francis f. This work describes the development of a helicon double layer thruster and its acquisition system at the university of brasilia plasma physics laboratory. Direct thrust measurement of a permanent magnet helicon. Electrothermal rf thrusters, such as the phase four rft and electron. It was created by australian scientist dr christine charles, based on a technology. The helicon doublelayer thruster is a prototype spacecraft propulsion engine.
The helicon double layer thruster hdlt concept is based on the recent discovery of a currentfree electric double layer dl in a helicon. Performance characterization of a helicon double layer thruster using direct thrust measurements. A double layer is a structure in a plasma and consists of two parallel layers with opposite electrical charge. Helicon double layer thruster breakthrough in 2003, researchers at the australian national university in canberra created a plasma double layer in the laboratory. The present work is devoted to the investigation of the radiofrequency rf inductive discharge placed in an external magnetic field. Downstream flow analysis of highpower helicon double gun thruster nao murakami, robert winglee, b. Lomonosov moscow state university, faculty of physics, moscow, russian federation. 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. Plasma thruster tested for mars mission 3 january 2006 image. For monopropellant rockets that depend on a chemical reaction, the power for the propulsive reaction and resultant thrust is provided by the chemical itself. Ion detachment in the helicon doublelayer thruster.