Objective
Over the last decades Electric Propulsion (EP) has emerged as a transformative technology in space mobility, offering significant advantages and enabling ambitious new missions. Thanks to their high exhaust velocity and fuel efficiency, EP systems have fostered the miniaturization of space assets, catalysing the rise of the New Space era.
EP devices generate thrust by converting electrical energy into kinetic energy of a propellant exhausted from the spacecraft. State-of-the-art technologies, such as Hall thrusters, require an electron emitting component to neutralize the accelerated ions. This neutralizer is sensitive to contamination, which strongly constrains the choice of propellant, and is one of the critical points of failure and life-limiting factors of mature systems. Removing this component would produce a revolutionary jump in the flexibility and reliability of EP devices, paving the way toward in-situ resources utilization and pushing to new distances the horizon of humanity’s spacefaring ambitions.
PHOENIX introduces a new thruster concept, the Magnetic Drawbridge Thruster (MDT), that implements, for the first time, the principle of RF acceleration for quasi-simultaneous ion and electron extraction in a ExB plasma device. By relying on the successful crossed-field configuration of Hall thrusters, the MDT would allow for high thrust densities and high exhaust velocities compared to other neutralizer-free concepts.
The objective of PHOENIX is to provide the proof-of-concept of crossed-field RF plasma acceleration and to understand how to effectively implement the concept into a neutralizer-free electric propulsion thruster. With this aim, activities will focus on:
1) developing simulation tools for the investigation of the novel acceleration process;
2) the setup of a representative environment for MDT testing, including advanced plasma diagnostics;
3) the design and test of prototypes to demonstrate the concept and to identify its core scaling laws.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology mechanical engineering vehicle engineering aerospace engineering astronautical engineering spacecraft
- social sciences law
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-STG
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
56127 PISA
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.