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The technical activities covered during the project allowed the creation of several numerical tools that can predict the thermoelectric/thermomagnetic response to different thermal loading conditions, material properties (thermal and electrical) and geometrical configurations.

Several numerical studies were performed using both commercial and dedicated numerical analysis procedure for the assessment of the thermoelectric behaviour of simple geometries under specific thermal loading conditions.

The International Space Station (ISS) is slowly approaching the end of its mission. The European Space Agency (ESA) and its international partners are considering new mission targets for the future of human space exploration in the post-ISS era. Highest ranked on the list of potential targets are a return to the Moon, Near-Earth Objects or asteroids, the moons of Mars (Phobos, Deimos) and, as the ultimate target the surface of Mars.

The use of helicon sources as thrusters for space propulsion has been envisaged as a robust, scalable, reliable and long-life device. The Helicon Plasma Thruster (HPT) is presented as a potentially durable, throttlable and high thrust-to-power ratio device, with intermediate specific impulse and competitive thrust efficiency.

The Study “IAP Assessment Dossier” aimed at assessing the Phase I of the IAP program through an extensive consultation of participants (26 in 11 countries) in order to derive lessons learned and suggestions for the future of the program initiated by ESA in 2009.