ThermaSat solar thermal propulsion system
AssigneeThermaSat Inc.
InventorsTroy Michael Howe, Steven Daniel Howe, Jack R. Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
ThermaSat™ propulsion system uses water as a safe and non-explosive propellant, and which is unpressurized at liftoff. Utilizing solar thermal propulsion, the compact and efficient capacitor heats water to steam to produce high thrust and total impulse. The advanced optical system allows for the thermal capacitor to charge through solar power alone with no protruding concentrators or power draw from the main bus. Additional solar panels, body mounted to the ThermaSat, provide auxiliary heating of the thermal capacitor when not directly incident to sunlight to promote non-sun pointing operations.
Claims15
A propulsion system comprising:
- an optical transmission system comprising at least two layers with the at least two layers comprising:
- selective transmitters, at least one selective transmitter and at least one selective absorber, or selective absorbers;
- a solar concentrator;
- and,
- a thermal capacitor for storing absorbed heat from light which passes through the optical transmission system;
- wherein the at least two layers prevent long wavelengths of light from passing through the optical transmission system while allowing shorter wavelengths to pass through the optical transmission system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.