Frequency control for a frequency generator of an ion engine

An ion engine for a satellite, comprising:

• a frequency generator for generating a frequency for an electric field;
• and
• a control device for the frequency generator, comprising:
• an acquiring unit;
• and
• a processing unit;
• wherein the acquiring unit is configured to acquire a voltage course and a current course of a determinable number of periods of the frequency generator and to transmit these to the processing unit;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a temporal offset Δt1 between a rising edge of the current course and a rising edge of the voltage course for each period of the determinable number of periods, and further to determine if this temporal offset Δt1 is positive or negative;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a difference between the number of periods with positive temporal offset and the number of periods with negative temporal offset within the determinable number of periods;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to generate and adapt a switching signal for a switch-on time of the voltage course if the number of periods with positive temporal offset differs from the number of periods with negative temporal offset;
• and
• wherein the control device is coupled to the frequency generator to operate the frequency generator at a predetermined frequency, so that a fuel is ionized in the electric field.

A satellite comprising an ion engine, wherein the ion engine comprises:

• a frequency generator for generating a frequency for an electric field;
• and
• a control device for the frequency generator, comprising:
• an acquiring unit;
• and
• a processing unit;
• wherein the acquiring unit is configured to acquire a voltage course and a current course of a determinable number of periods of the frequency generator and to transmit these to the processing unit;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a temporal offset Δt1 between a rising edge of the current course and a rising edge of the voltage course for each period of the determinable number of periods, and further to determine if this temporal offset Δt1 is positive or negative;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to determine a difference between the number of periods with positive temporal offset and the number of periods with negative temporal offset within the determinable number of periods;
• wherein the processing unit is configured to generate and adapt a switching signal for a switch-on time of the voltage course if the number of periods with positive temporal offset differs from the number of periods with negative temporal offset;
• wherein the control device is coupled to the frequency generator to operate the frequency generator at a predetermined frequency, so that a fuel is ionized in the electric field;
• and
• wherein the ion engine is configured and arranged to bring the satellite in an orbit or to keep it in orbit.