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US 11,414,219 B2Granted
Space mission energy management architecture
AssigneeMomentus Space LLC
InventorsJoel Sercel, Aaron Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacecraft propulsion system comprises two thrusters, each operating in accordance to a corresponding propulsion technique. A controller is configured to direct collected solar energy to heat a propellant for consumption in one of the two thrusters, or to generate electric energy for the other one of the two thrusters.
Claims20
A propulsion system operating in a spacecraft, the propulsion system comprising:
- a power system configured to collect solar energy, wherein the power system includes a solar concentrator attached to a pivot;
- a first thruster operating according to a first propulsion technique;
- a second thruster operating according to a second propulsion technique;
- and
- a controller configured to control supply of the solar energy collected by the power system to the first thruster and the second thruster, wherein the controller causes the solar concentrator to selectively pivot (i) to a first position toward a first receiver to guide solar energy toward the first thruster, and (ii) to a second position toward a second receiver to guide solar energy toward the second thruster.
2 more elements
A propulsion system operating in a spacecraft, the propulsion system comprising:
- a tank storing propellant;
- a solar concentrator attached to a pivot;
- a first thruster including a microwave source, the first thruster fluidically coupled to the tank, the first thruster operating according to an electro-thermal (MET) propulsion technique;
- a second thruster fluidically coupled to the tank, the second thruster operating according to a second propulsion technique;
- and
- a controller configured to control supply of the propellant from the tank to the first thruster to cool the microwave source, and to the second thruster, wherein the controller causes the solar concentrator to selectively pivot
- (i) to a first position toward a first receiver to guide solar energy toward the first thruster, and
- (ii) to a second position toward a second receiver to guide solar energy toward the second thruster.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.