FR2482200A1 - High performance propulsion unit - using radioactive polonium as propellant - Google Patents

Abstract

High performance propulsion unit utilises PO210 as propellant, contained in a solid-vapour state inside a stainless steel reservoir having a fixed front face and a releasable rear face propulsion taking place by isotopic reaction of PO210 when the rear face has been released. The front face of the reservoir consists of a network of cylindrical tubes spirolling from the periphery of the face to its centre each turn being welded to the adjacent one giving the arrangement a high rigidity, and the rear face consists of a disc of the same steel forming a cover and provided with explosive pellets or a detonating string for releasing the cover at the moment when the propulsion unit is to be brought into service. Used for launching space satellites and those reaching the moon. The unit is less expensive than prior projectors of the diamond, P16, H10, H3.5, Ariane and similar types and gives a greater thrust.

Description

 The present invention relates to a high-performance space propeller designed to improve the performance of known launchers such as Diamond, P16 H10 H3.5, Ariane and Anal gues, and to lower the unit cost of launching telecommunications satellites as well as satellites to reach 1; Moon.

The high-performance space propeller according to the invention consists of a Polonium isotope, Polonium Po 210
Polonium 210 is contained in the vapor solid state in a double-sided stainless steel tank delimiting a thin free spar.

 the tank is stiffened on its front face (face on which the thrust is exerted) by cooling cylindrical tubes and the corresponding corrugations of the stainless steel sheet; its unstiffened rear face consists of a disc cover plate of the same-steel, releasable by detonating cord or explosive bolts at the time of commissioning the pro-pulser.

Polonium 210 emits helions (alpha-rays, 2/4 He), positively charged helium nuclei which: - on the front-side of the tank ionize positively
the steel of it to a depth of the order of a hundredth
millimeter, - on the side of the space, when putting the thruster into service,
take under the impulse of the electric field created by the ca
iron thions a very big acceleration that brings them into
the space vacuum at the speed of light in a few cents
very, transforming them into photons.

 The result is a thrust on the bottom of the tank that propels the ship forward.

 Shortly before the launch of the rocket, the Polonium 210 is placed at the bottom of the tank which is closed with a stainless steel lid, which is secured with the body of the propellant, said tank being provided with an underlying heat shield.

 Operation lid removed: after opening the tank and releasing the lid, the tank spits positively charged helium nuclei which forces the Polonium to remain pressed against the bottom of the tank by reaction to the force of the movement of the helions towards the tank. rear, constituting a thrust acting directly on the bottom of the tank and that homogeneously by structure.

COOLING
Polonium 210 releasing helions and producing Radium G releases heat in a known amount. This heat is discharged to space by a cooling system comprising - a network of cooled stainless steel cylindrical tubes
the front face of the Polonium Reservoir; a favorite mode of
realization is the spiral winding from the periphery to
the center of a stainless steel tube, each turn being welded to
the adjacent turn, - a stainless steel radiator composed of radiant tubes,
of a central distributor tube and peripheral collector tubes
- a low power electromagnetic pump (lower
at 100 watts), pumping the coolant (in the meantime
liquid sodium) from the central tube to the network. This
pump is powered by a solar battery, coupled with a
12V chemical backup battery, (for operation
on the ground or in launch on low orbit and for possible
phases of poor sunlight of the solar battery).

In order to obtain as light a radiator weight as possible, it is desirable to achieve a maximum temperature, i.e. as high as possible, for the stainless steel of the cooling circuit; of the order of 800 or 900oK or 1000 or
THERMAL SCREEN
A heat shield, made of a material with known insulating properties, is interposed between the radiator and the payload compartment - battery guide system.

 This heat shield covers a central support in light alloy which constitutes the main mechanical part of the structure. Said support being provided to maintain and position the cylinders; and to provide the fulcrum of a ball joint.

GUIDANCE
The guidance of maintaining the vessel on its trajectory is made by tilting around a large ball of a few degrees on the three axes the entire radiator and tank Polonium 210; this switching is performed by three perpendicular electric cylinders of low power controlled by a guidance computer is programmed or remotely controlled.

 The actuation of each cylinder is provided by a step-by-step motor.

 The power supply of the cylinders and the computer is provided by the batteries already mentioned.

PAYLOAD
The payload of the spaceship is at the front.

 The whole is arranged with the necessary structures- of minimized weight.

 The invention will be better understood from the description of FIG. 1, illustrating by way of nonlimiting example an embodiment of the thruster according to the invention.

 FIG. 1 shows a spacecraft 1 comprising a payload 2, which may be a telecommunications satellite, with a fixed part A integral with the payload 2, and a portion B, mounted so as to be able to articulate angularly with respect to the aforementioned part A.

Part B essentially comprises a tank 14 to
Polonium and a thermal radiator, referenced 11 schematically the corresponding enclosure.

The reservoir 14 comprises a front face 15 and a rear facet 16 (releasable). An articulating arm 12, with its end before a ball 10, bearing on a central support 3 protected by a heat shield 9, part A, and a fixed point of rear support 17. G
Between the central support 3 and the payload 2, a chamber 4 is provided for housing the guiding instruments, such as calculator, sensor, flight indicator and the like. ... and the power supply means schematically represented by a battery of solar cells 6 and a battery 7.

INDUSTRIAL RESULT
New generation of thrusters applicable to the launch of telecommunication satellites.

Example of application to the advanced DIAMANT launcher
We want to use the ship to pass a telecommunication satellite (100 kg) of low orbit low synchronous high orbit 24 h.

The following results are obtained by the calculation - advanced DIAMANT launcher: payload 300 kg = mass of the vessel
in low Earth orbit, - duration of transfer: 1 year for a Polonium 210 mass of
2.15 kg - radiator temperature = approximately 5500c.

- mass estimate of a thruster according to the invention, to make
to pass a telecommunications satellite weighing 100 kg of gold
low dick at synchronous high orbit 24 h:
radiator = 130 kg (sodium and pump included)
structure = 35 kg
. tank = 12.5 kg
+ Polonium = 2.15kg
. calculator + jacks = 10 kg
batteries = 10 kg
Total: 200 kg (neighbor of ...)
This industrial result is of general scope: such a type of propulsion of the spacecraft would last to the extent that one would decide to produce Polonium 210 industrially in large quantities (a few kilograms), to put into high orbit 24 hours of telecommunication satellites at the same time. using a launcher
DIAMANT evolved, without the need to use a typical launcher
ARIANE, bigger and more expensive.

 This economic advantage is transposable, that is to say that its application to large launchers like ARIANE would make missions to the moon or to Mars.

 In general, the object of the present invention is to reduce the costs of space missions of all types in considerable proportions.

Compared table of the launch performance (at lower cost) of telecommunications satellites with or without the use of a thruster according to the invention; with mention of its overall weight, varying with the mission to be accomplished by the spacecraft considered.

<Tb>

SATELLITE <SEP> Improvement <SEP> of
<tb><SEP> (useful <SEP> load) <SEP> on <SEP> without <SEP> said <SEP><SEP> performance with
<tb><SEP> orbit <SEP> low <SEP> (in <SEP> kg) <SEP> thruster <SEP> the <SEP> thruster
<tb><SEP> by <SEP> launcher <SEP> according to <SEP> the invention
<tb> He <SEP> He <SEP> He <SEP> He
<tb> DIAMOND <SEP> 50 <SEP> none
<tb> He <SEP> He <SEP> He <SEP> He
<tb> DIAMOND <SEP> evolved <SEP> 300 <SEP> 100
<tb><SEP> not <SEP> of <SEP> satellite <SEP> on <SEP> orbit <SEP> high
<tb><SEP> of <SEP> telecommunication. <SEP> 24 <SEP> h.
<Tb>

s / orbit <SEP> from <SEP> 24 <SEP> h.
<Tb>

<SEP> P16 <SEP> P10 <SEP> H <SEP> 3.5 <SEP> 500 <SEP> 100
<tb><SEP> nothing <SEP> on <SEP> the <SEP> moon <SEP> on <SEP> the <SEP> moon
<tb> ARIANE <SEP> 1000
<tb> on <SEP> orbit <SEP> low
<tb> or <SEP> 100 <SEP> kg
<tb> on <SEP> orbit <SEP> high
<tb> 24 <SEP> h.
<Tb>

nil <SEP> on <SEP> the <SEP> moon <SEP> 200
<tb> on <SEP> the <SEP> moon
<Tb>

Claims (5)

 1.- High performance space propeller, characterized in that the propellant used is constituted by an isotope of Polonium, Polonium two hundred and ten, po210  2. Propellant according to claim 1, characterized in that the Polonium 210 is contained in the solid-vapor state in a tank 14 of stainless steel comprising a permanent facant, and a releasable rear-end, the propulsion istotopic reaction of the Polonium 210 starting, as soon as the release of the back-side has taken place.  3. Propellant according to claim 2, wherein the front face of the aforementioned tank is constituted by a network of cylindrical tubes, spirally wound from the periphery to the center, each turn being welded to the adjacent turn, conferring to the together a great rigidity; and the rear face is constituted by a sheet metal disc of the same steel, forming a cover, provided with explosive bolts or explosive bead intended to release said cover when the propellant is put into service.  4. A thruster according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises above said tank a mechanical structure comprising a warhead shaped head containing a payload, which may be a telecommunications satellite, followed by a body in two parts A and B - a part A integral with the aforementioned head, and comprising a  central support, light alloy, and a chamber comprising  various instruments necessary for the guidance of the satellite, such as  that: calculator, feeding b-atteries, set of  jacks, - and a part B articulable with respect to the part A at the mo  yen of a connecting rod arm working in support  on a recess provided at the base of the aforementioned central support.  5.- thruster according to claim 4, wherein the guiding is provided by the articulation of the portion B vis-à-vis the part A, by means of three jacks mounted integral, said central support, the action of said jacks being provided by sensors or detection instruments working in combination with an on-board computer constituting equipment known per se; and wherein a stainless steel and liquid sodium cooling radiator and a heat shield are disposed between said reservoir and said support.