High Power Electric Propulsion

In ECR, the small number of free electrons present in the neutral gas gyrate around the static magnetic field lines.

The process is a highly efficient means of creating a plasma in low density gases.

[4] The thruster itself is in the 20-50 kW class, with a specific impulse of 6,000-9,000 seconds, and a propellant throughput capability exceeding 100 kg/kW.

The pre-prototype HiPEP produced 670  millinewton (mN) of thrust at a power level of 39.3 kW using 7.0 mg/s of fuel giving a specific impulse of 9620 s.[2][5] Downrated to 24.4 kW, the HiPEP used 5.6 mg/s of fuel giving a specific impulse of 8270 s and 460 mN of thrust.

However, with cancellation of the Jupiter Icy Moon Orbiter mission in 2005, HiPEP's development also came to a halt.