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US 11,230,394 B2Granted
Staging of ion propulsion thrusters
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsPaulo C. Lozano, David Krejci, Oliver Jia-Richards
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Abstract
Spacecraft thruster systems are disclosed. In some instances, a spacecraft thruster system may include stacked ion thrusters and/or ion thruster layers. The ion thrusters and/or ion thruster layers may be sequentially activated and jettisoned from the thruster system after use.
Claims8
A spacecraft thruster system comprising:
- a first ion thruster including a first ion thruster layer and a first propellant tank fluidly connected to the first ion thruster layer;
- a second ion thruster including a second ion thruster layer and a second propellant tank fluidly connected to the second ion thruster layer;
- a deactivation switch disposed between the first ion thruster and the second ion thruster;
- and
- a voltage source electrically connected to the first ion thruster and the second ion thruster, wherein at least the first ion thruster layer is selectively disconnectable from the voltage source, wherein the voltage source applies a voltage differential to the first ion thruster layer to emit ions when the first ion thruster layer is electrically connected to the voltage source, wherein the deactivation switch is configured to be depressed when the first ion thruster is electrically connected to the voltage source, and wherein the deactivation switch is configured to allow the voltage source to apply the voltage differential to the second ion thruster layer to emit the ions when the first ion thruster layer is disconnected from the voltage source.
2 more elements
A method for operating a spacecraft thruster system, comprising:
- firing a first ion thruster, wherein firing the first ion thruster includes:
- supplying a first propellant to a first ion thruster layer from a first propellant source of the first ion thruster, and
- applying a voltage differential to the first ion thruster layer to from a voltage source electrically connected to the first ion thruster layer to emit first ions;
- ejecting the first ion thruster;
- releasing an activation switch disposed between the first ion thruster and a second ion thruster when the first ion thruster is ejected;
- and
- firing the second ion thruster, wherein firing the second ion thruster includes:
- supplying a second propellant to a second ion thruster layer from a second propellant source of the second ion thruster, and
- applying the voltage differential to the second ion thruster layer from the voltage source when the activation switch is released to emit second ions, wherein the voltage source is electrically connected to the second ion thruster layer.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.