A promising technology for spacecrafts
Electric propulsors (EP) are considered as a cheaper alternative to chemical thrusters. However, their complex design and manufacture makes this technology too costly to be used for the mass production of satellites.
Making electric propulsion feasible
The HIPATIA project aims to verify the function of an EP system based on the Helicon Plasma Thruster (HPT) technology. It offers good performance while reducing complexity, thus offering a cost-effective solution to produce small satellites and other small spacecrafts.
Innovation for the age of worldwide connexions
Currently, there is a strong demand for ever-faster Internet. While large fleets of satellites could provide this coverage, hundreds of them would be necessary, driving the need for mass manufacturing and cost-capped equipment.
