EP0132065A3 - Electric thruster for space propulsion - Google Patents

Electric thruster for space propulsion Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0132065A3
EP0132065A3 EP84304344A EP84304344A EP0132065A3 EP 0132065 A3 EP0132065 A3 EP 0132065A3 EP 84304344 A EP84304344 A EP 84304344A EP 84304344 A EP84304344 A EP 84304344A EP 0132065 A3 EP0132065 A3 EP 0132065A3
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
chamber
electric thruster
propellant
grid
thrust
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP84304344A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0132065A2 (en
Inventor
Peter Smith
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
Original Assignee
Marconi Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Marconi Co Ltd filed Critical Marconi Co Ltd
Publication of EP0132065A2 publication Critical patent/EP0132065A2/en
Publication of EP0132065A3 publication Critical patent/EP0132065A3/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
    • F03H1/0037—Electrostatic ion thrusters
    • F03H1/0043—Electrostatic ion thrusters characterised by the acceleration grid
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F03—MACHINES OR ENGINES FOR LIQUIDS; WIND, SPRING, OR WEIGHT MOTORS; PRODUCING MECHANICAL POWER OR A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03H—PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F03H1/00—Using plasma to produce a reactive propulsive thrust
    • F03H1/0006—Details applicable to different types of plasma thrusters
    • F03H1/0025—Neutralisers, i.e. means for keeping electrical neutrality

Abstract

An electric thruster for spacecraft propulsion has an ion­ isation chamber (8), and inlet (9) for supplying gaseous prope­ llant into the chamber (8) via a valve (7) when thrust is requi­ red, a hollow cathode electron emitter (11) and keeper (12) and an anode (13) for ionising the propellant by electron collision, an accelerating grid (16) at one end of the chamber (8), and an alternating voltage supply (201) connected to the grid (16) such that positive propellant ions and electrons are alternately accelerated out of the chamber (8) to provide an exhaust beam (17) which gives the required thrust and has a predetermined net electrical charge (typically zero).
EP84304344A 1983-07-13 1984-06-27 Electric thruster for space propulsion Withdrawn EP0132065A3 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8318919 1983-07-13
GB8318919 1983-07-13

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0132065A2 EP0132065A2 (en) 1985-01-23
EP0132065A3 true EP0132065A3 (en) 1986-05-28

Family

ID=10545646

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP84304344A Withdrawn EP0132065A3 (en) 1983-07-13 1984-06-27 Electric thruster for space propulsion

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0132065A3 (en)
JP (1) JPS6036787A (en)
GB (1) GB2143281B (en)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4825646A (en) * 1987-04-23 1989-05-02 Hughes Aircraft Company Spacecraft with modulated thrust electrostatic ion thruster and associated method
US4805400A (en) * 1987-04-27 1989-02-21 Olin Corporation Non-erosive arcjet starting control system and method
US4838021A (en) * 1987-12-11 1989-06-13 Hughes Aircraft Company Electrostatic ion thruster with improved thrust modulation
GB9016567D0 (en) * 1990-07-27 1990-09-12 Marconi Space Systems Limited Ion thruster vector control
IT1262897B (en) * 1992-03-11 1996-07-22 Proel Tecnologie Spa PERFECTED PLASMA GENERATOR AND RELATED IONIZATION METHOD
US7246483B2 (en) * 2004-07-21 2007-07-24 United Technologies Corporation Energetic detonation propulsion
FR2897398A1 (en) * 2006-02-14 2007-08-17 Claude Poher DEVICE THROUGH ACCELERATION OF PARTICLES AND APPLICATIONS OF SAID DEVICE
FR2997462B1 (en) * 2012-10-30 2018-09-14 Safran Aircraft Engines SUPPLYING AN ION PROPELLANT IN PROPULSIVE GAS
JP6214874B2 (en) * 2013-01-22 2017-10-18 国立大学法人 東京大学 Gas supply method and system for plasma ignition of ion engine
FR3014503B1 (en) * 2013-12-11 2016-01-01 Snecma IMPROVED FLOW CONTROL SYSTEM FOR THE SUPPLYING FLUID SUPPLY OF AN ELECTRIC SPRAY PROPELLER OF A SPATIAL VEHICLE
CN111878336A (en) * 2020-07-06 2020-11-03 安徽华东光电技术研究所有限公司 Ion thruster
CN111878337A (en) * 2020-07-06 2020-11-03 安徽华东光电技术研究所有限公司 Ion thruster

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2052014A1 (en) * 1970-10-23 1972-04-27 Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm Ion thruster

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2052014A1 (en) * 1970-10-23 1972-04-27 Messerschmitt Boelkow Blohm Ion thruster

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0132065A2 (en) 1985-01-23
GB8416313D0 (en) 1984-08-01
GB2143281A (en) 1985-02-06
JPS6036787A (en) 1985-02-25
GB2143281B (en) 1987-03-18

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Effective date: 19870129

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Inventor name: SMITH, PETER