Back to results
US 12,473,876 B2Granted
Evanescent or fugacious thrust deflector
AssigneeThe Aerospace Corporation
InventorsJerome K. Fuller, Denise Galindo Burrell, Edward V. Wagner, Andrew C. Cortopassi, Jeffrey Arthur Lang, Robert B. Pan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An ablative thruster includes a nozzle configured to control a flow of thrust from the satellite. The ablative thruster also includes an ablative surface inside of the nozzle, configured to deflect the thrust at a predefined angle. The ablative surface is configured to ablate-away, leaving un-deflected thrust for a majority of the burn.
Claims6
An apparatus, comprising:
- a nozzle configured to control a flow of thrust from the apparatus;
- and
- an ablative material inside of or attached to the nozzle, the ablative material configured to initially deflect the thrust at a predefined angle, wherein
- the ablative material is configured to ablate-away, leaving un-deflected thrust for a majority of the burn,
- the ablative material comprises a hole in the center and the hole is positioned axially to an un-deflected thrust direction of the nozzle,
- the ablative material together with the hole are configured to act as a timing feature, increasing a flow of thrust through the hole as the hole ablates away.
3 more elements
An apparatus, comprising:
- a nozzle configured to control a flow of thrust from the apparatus;
- and
- an ablative material inside of or attached to the nozzle, the ablative material configured to initially deflect the thrust at a predefined angle through a plurality of curved vanes, wherein
- the ablative material being configured to ablate-away, leaving un-deflected thrust for a majority of the burn,
- wherein the ablative material comprises a hole in the center and the hole is positioned axially to an un-deflected thrust direction of the nozzle,
- the ablative material together with the hole are configured to act as a timing feature, increasing a flow of thrust through the hole as the hole ablates away.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.