HiPER is a 3-year, European financed programme focused on the study of high power electric propulsionsystems and their possible applications in future space missions. Electric propulsion is going to play a major role inthe future of space exploration, but to serve this purpose both thrusters and power generation system have to befurther developed in order to reach a high maturity level also in such power ranges (tens of kW). The goal of HiPERwas very ambitious, since it not only addressed technologies related to electric propulsion, but also attempted toconsider major technological efforts in the framework of social and political scenarios, both internal to Europe andwith respect to non-European partners. The main strategic objective of the HiPER project has been to initiatetechnological and programmatic consolidation in the development of innovative electric propulsion technologies, andof the related power generation technologies, so that be possible to readily fulfil future European space transportationneeds. The project ended in March 2012 and all the main outputs emerging from the 3-year long activity are recalledin the present paper.
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