Our high-thrust plasma propulsion system Helios opens new possibilities for various space applications. From conventional satellite missions to innovative space transportation solutions, Helios provides efficient and powerful propulsion capabilities. Our high-thrust plasma propulsion system Helios opens new possibilities for various space applications. From conventional satellite missions to innovative space transportation solutions, Helios provides efficient and powerful propulsion capabilities. Our high-thrust plasma propulsion system Helios opens new possibilities for various space applications. From conventional satellite missions to innovative space transportation solutions, Helios provides efficient and powerful propulsion capabilities.

The current existing and directly accessible market is the market of satellite operators. More and more operators are willing to choose electric propulsion for their satellites since EP provides a much higher efficiency of fuel utilization. But at the same time, the problem is the very weak thrust performance of existing electric propulsion.

Weak thrust of the propulsion system means weak acceleration of the space craft; and this means at the end long travel and maneuver times and long staying in critical regions like the van-Allen belt. This fact is separating the satellite operators into two groups. The first group is choosing EP though the low thrust and accepts the disadvantages. The second group cannot choose EP, since the travel time is too long or the risk for the payload is too high through the van Allen belts, and has to remain with chemical propulsion.

Helios provides a solution for both groups of operators. It combines the demanded high fuel efficiency and provides at the same time high thrust levels, which compensates the current disadvantage of electric propulsion.

Based on mission application, the global satellite electric propulsion market is expected to be dominated by the station keeping segment during the forecast period. The satellite operators prefer more electric propulsion for station keeping irrespective of their nature of taking more time to manoeuver. This previous statement defines the major door opener for Helios to the electric propulsion market. When satellite operators accept this disadvantage of higher operation time and still select electric propulsion, how much more they will prefer an electric propulsion solution,which provides to compensate this disadvantage of long operation time with continuous high thrust.

Following is the commonly formulated main challenge for the global satellite electric propulsion market:Relatively low thrust nature of electric propulsion systems imposes longer timelines for orbit-transfer risking satellite exposure to radiation and delaying mission timelines.

The major USP of Helios is just the answer on this challenge! Helios is an electric propulsion system, which is designed and tailored to generate high thrust values. Therewith, Helios obviously fulfils one of the major demands of the present and future market for electric propulsion. Often repeated within forecast reports are the following restraints, which limit the capability of utilization of electric propulsion for different mission types and parameters:

Restraints: Limitations of Electric Space Propulsion Systems Certain limitations associated with electric space propulsion systems are expected to hamper market revenue growth over the forecast period. When high acceleration is critical to a space mission, electrical space propulsion is avoided,as usage of this system takes much longer time to attain a particular speed.

The main market for Helios is a right now growing future market. End of last year, ESA announces the plans for a novel space transportation eco system. This new concepts includes tugs, servicing modules and fuel depots within the orbit. Nowadays, satellites mostly transported by a launcher vehicle into the target orbit.

The propulsion of the last stage is caring for reaching the target orbit. The plan is now, to take re-usable launchers to bring the space craft into a Low Earth orbit. And then, in-space transportation vehicles take over the satellite and care for the transportation into the target orbit. This means, the whole launcher transportation segment will be divided in future; into an ground to space segment and into an in-space transportation segment.

But this new in-space transportation segment will not only deliver space crafts into specific Earth orbits; it will also provide the transport beyond..to Moon or Mars orbits for instance. Helios is able to support this ambitious plans as propulsion system. But not only for the mentioned tugs, the also planned servicing modules will also require electric high-thrust propulsion.