Helicity Drive
A fusion propulsion engine in development that would use twisted plasma jets to create fusion reactions and push spacecraft to the outer planets much faster than today's rockets.
Why it matters
Chemical rockets carry too little energy per kilogram of fuel, and electric thrusters push very gently. A working fusion engine could cut travel times to Mars and beyond, which reduces radiation exposure for crews and opens faster science missions to the outer solar system.
How the technology works
Helicity Space says its approach draws on more than 20 years of plasma research. Twisted (plectonemic) plasma jets hold the plasma together, magnetic reconnection heats it, and a squeezing magnetic field that moves along the device (peristaltic compression) raises the energy density until fusion can occur.
The hot exhaust would then produce thrust. The company describes the engines as scalable.
Sources
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · How we source facts · Suggest a correction