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US 2020/0003159 A1Published application
SmallSat Hybrid Propulsion System
AssigneeCalifornia Institute of Technology
InventorsAshley C. Karp, Elizabeth Jens, Jason Rabinovitch, Barry Nakazono, Antonietta Conte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hybrid propulsion system for a small satellite package consisting of a main rocket motor containing a solid propellant with multiple oxidizer tanks positioned to direct oxidizer into the rocker motor, thereby producing a desired thrust necessary for orbit insertion and/or orbit correction. Additionally, oxidizers can serve a dual function in controlling cold fuel thrusters for attitude adjustment.
Claims32
A CubeSat propulsion system comprising:
- a CubeSat form factor;
- a main propulsion motor vessel centrally disposed within form factor and having a body with a forward end and an aft end and being formed of an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the inner wall forms a central cavity, and wherein the inner wall of the central cavity is lined with an insulative material that forms a thermal protection layer between the inner wall of the central cavity and a solid rocket fuel disposed within the central cavity such that the fuel is positioned where the majority of the central cavity is filled with the solid rocket fuel, and wherein the aft end of the motor vessel further comprises a flight thrust nozzle having a nozzle throat section and a nozzle exit section wherein the nozzle throat section is positioned near the aft end of the body and the nozzle exit section is disposed distal to the aft end,
- multiple oxidizer containment vessels disposed within the form factor and dispersed around the propulsion vessel and wherein each of the oxidizer vessels are fluidly connected to the propulsion vessel, such that the oxidizer vessels deliver an oxidizer into the propulsion vessel within a predefined channel disposed within the fuel, and
- an ignition source mechanically connected to the propulsion vessel wherein the ignition source operates to vaporize a portion of the fuel and wherein the oxidizer delivered to the propulsion vessel interacts with the vaporized fuel to produce combustion along the length of the predefined channel and produce an exhaust thrust through the nozzle.
1 more element
A SmallSat propulsion system comprising:
- a SmallSat volume having a mass of less than about 200 kg;
- a main propulsion motor vessel centrally disposed and having a body with a forward end and an aft end and being formed of an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the inner wall forms a central cavity, and wherein the inner wall of the central cavity is lined with an insulative material that forms a thermal protection layer between the inner wall of the central cavity and a solid rocket fuel disposed within the central cavity such that the fuel is positioned where the majority of the central cavity is filled with the solid rocket fuel, and wherein the aft end of the motor vessel further comprises a flight thrust nozzle having a nozzle throat section and a nozzle exit section wherein the nozzle throat section is positioned near the aft end of the body and the nozzle exit section is disposed distal to the aft end,
- multiple oxidizer containment vessels dispersed around the propulsion vessel and wherein each of the oxidizer vessels are fluidly connected to the propulsion vessel, such that the oxidizer vessels deliver an oxidizer into the propulsion vessel within a predefined channel disposed within the fuel, and
- an ignition source mechanically connected to the propulsion vessel wherein the ignition source operates to vaporize a portion of the fuel and wherein the oxidizer delivered to the propulsion vessel interacts with the vaporized fuel to produce combustion along the length of the predefined channel and produce an exhaust thrust through the nozzle.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.