Helicity Space
Helicity Space (Pasadena, CA) — founded 2018.
01 Definition
Helicity Space (Pasadena, CA) — founded 2018. $12.3M total funding. Co-founders: Stephane Lintner (CEO, former Goldman Sachs MD, PhD applied math Caltech), Setthivoine You (Chief Scientist, PhD plasma physics Imperial College London), Marta Calvo ...
02 Detailed_Analysis
Helicity Space (Pasadena, CA) — founded 2018. $12.3M total funding. Co-founders: Stephane Lintner (CEO, former Goldman Sachs MD, PhD applied math Caltech), Setthivoine You (Chief Scientist, PhD plasma physics Imperial College London), Marta Calvo ... Helicity Space (Pasadena, CA) — founded 2018. $12.3M total funding. Co-founders: Stephane Lintner (CEO, former Goldman Sachs MD, PhD applied math Caltech), Setthivoine You (Chief Scientist, PhD plasma physics Imperial College London), Marta Calvo (former Boeing-Rocketdyne executive). Technology: 'Helicity Drive' — magneto-inertial fusion with 'self-organized Taylor relaxation and magnetic reconnection physics coupled with a peristaltic magnetic compression scheme.' Uses multiple plasma guns to create fusion conditions. 'Done it with two guns' — testing with four plasma guns. 'No need to wait for terrestrial fusion power to begin using fusion propulsion in space.' 'Fusion produces ten million times more energy per unit mass of fuel' vs c...
03 Key_Facts
- ▸ → Skunk Works® CFR Program: Same magnetic reconnection physics as CFR — Lockheed invested despite 'cancellation'
- ▸ → Limitless Space Institute: LSI partner (fusion propulsion)
- ▸ → Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®: Lockheed Martin Ventures invested April 2024 — 'potential long-term customer'
- ▸ ← Setthivoine You: Chief Scientist and Co-Founder — Helicity Drive inventor
- ▸ ← Paul Bellan: Bellan advisor to Helicity — 1979 paper is basis of Helicity Drive compression scheme
04 Deep_Dive_Intelligence
Overview
Helicity Space (Pasadena, CA) — founded 2018. $12.3M total funding. Co-founders: Stephane Lintner (CEO, former Goldman Sachs MD, PhD applied math Caltech), Setthivoine You (Chief Scientist, PhD plasma physics Imperial College London), Marta Calvo (former Boeing-Rocketdyne executive). Technology: 'Helicity Drive' — magneto-inertial fusion with 'self-organized Taylor relaxation and magnetic reconnection physics coupled with a peristaltic magnetic compression scheme.' Uses multiple plasma guns to create fusion conditions. 'Done it with two guns' — testing with four plasma guns. 'No need to wait for terrestrial fusion power to begin using fusion propulsion in space.' 'Fusion produces ten million times more energy per unit mass of fuel' vs chemical. CRITICAL: Lockheed Martin Ventures invested in Helicity Space in April 2024 — despite 'cancelling' the CFR in 2020. 'Many things need to be worked out but they're at an interesting phase' (Lockheed Moran). 'They are combining plasma guns to create an intense plasma with the level of heating required to create a fusion-type result.' Helicity sees Lockheed Martin as 'a potential long-term customer.' Other investors: Airbus Ventures, Voyager Space Holdings. The magnetic reconnection physics is the SAME physics that underlies the CFR's high-beta cusp confinement and the '3D turbulent magnetic reconnection' in the orb platform.
Entity Type: Organization — Helicity Space operates as an institutional actor in the defense/aerospace ecosystem.
Network Relationships
Helicity Space connects to 8 entities in the intelligence network:
Events (1):
- → Skunk Works® CFR Program: Same magnetic reconnection physics as CFR — Lockheed invested despite 'cancellation'
Organisations (3):
- → Limitless Space Institute: LSI partner (fusion propulsion)
- → DOE: NIAC 2025 award
- → Lockheed Martin Skunk Works®: Lockheed Martin Ventures invested April 2024 — 'potential long-term customer'
Persons (2):
- ← Setthivoine You: Chief Scientist and Co-Founder — Helicity Drive inventor
- ← Paul Bellan: Bellan advisor to Helicity — 1979 paper is basis of Helicity Drive compression scheme
Programs (2):
- → MARAUDER: Plasma guns = compact toroid projection — MARAUDER lineage
- ← LM Ventures Portfolio: Invested in Helicity Space fusion propulsion (April 2024)
Source Documents
Intelligence derived from 4 source documents:
- SpaceNews — 'Lockheed Martin Ventures invests in Helicity Space' (April 2, 2024)
- SpaceNews — 'Helicity Space raises $5 million' (December 11, 2023)
- TechCrunch — 'Helicity Space raises $5M' (December 11, 2023)
- helicityspace.com — Technology page
06 Related_Terms (2)
07 Related_Entities (1)
08 Timeline_Mentions (10)
Ben Rich Directs Skunk Works
Ben Rich succeeds Kelly Johnson as director of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, overseeing the development of stealth and revolutionary propulsion concepts.
personnelClandestine FRC Breakthrough
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is assessed to have achieved a significant technological breakthrough in FRC plasma physics.
historical-contextClandestine FRC Breakthrough at Skunk Works
An assessed major engineering success at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works validates the hardware program and elevates the Freescale SoC team to a national asset.
defense-programsSkunk Works FRC Breakthrough
The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works FRC program achieves a significant, assessed breakthrough, necessitating a counter-intelligence screen.
fusion-physicsLockheed Martin CFR Program Commencement
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® officially begins its Compact Fusion Reactor (CFR) program, led by Thomas McGuire.
defense-programsCFR Soft Disclosure
Charles Chase of Lockheed Martin Skunk Works provides a 'soft disclosure' of the Compact Fusion Reactor program during a 'Solve for X' presentation.
historical-contextCharles Chase reveals Skunk Works CFR
Public reveal of the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works Compact Fusion Reactor concept.
defense-programsGabriel Ivan Font Personnel Movement
In 2014, Gabriel Ivan Font's career is tracked from plasma research at the USAF Academy to LANL and subsequently to Lockheed Martin Skunk Works as a co-inventor on CFR patents.
personnelSkunk Works CFR Public Announcement
Lockheed Martin Skunk Works publicly announces its Compact Fusion Reactor program, led by Thomas McGuire.
historical-contextLockheed Martin Skunk Works CFR Announcement
Lockheed Martin publicly announces its Compact Fusion Reactor program, correlating with the wind-down of public FRCHX activity.
defense-programs09 FAQ
What is Helicity Space? ▾
Why does Helicity Space matter? ▾
How does Helicity Space relate to other concepts? ▾
When did Helicity Space appear in the research timeline? ▾
Which entities are associated with Helicity Space? ▾
Is there a detailed dossier for Helicity Space? ▾
Quick_Facts
- Category
- Organizations
- Aliases
- Helicity Space, helicity-space, Helicity Drive, Helicity fusion propulsion
- Sources
- 8
- Related Terms
- 2
- Graph Entities
- 1
- Timeline Events
- 10