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US 2024/0010361 A1Published application
Shared thermal capacitor in a multi-thruster system
AssigneeMomentus Space LLC
InventorMikhail Kokorich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spacecraft propulsion system comprises an attitude adjustment thruster system with multiple thrusters (488a-d) receiving heated propellant via a shared thermal capacitance block (275). The thermal capacitance block (275) receives energy from a solar concentrator (320) and stores the heat.
Claims20
A spacecraft maneuvering system comprising:
- a propellant tank;
- a shared thermal capacitor including a material configured to store thermal energy, the shared thermal capacitor configured to (i) receive, via a plurality of ingress ports, a propellant for a plurality of respective fluidic channels, (ii) transfer the stored thermal energy to the propellant in the plurality of fluidic channels, and (iii) output the propellant from the plurality of fluidic channels via a plurality of a respective egress ports;
- a plurality of valves configured to restrict an amount of propellant directed to the respective ingress ports;
- and
- a controller configured to control the plurality of the valves to change flow rates through the plurality of the fluidic channels in response to signals indicative of intended spacecraft maneuvers.
2 more elements
A method of maneuvering a spacecraft, the method comprising:
- directing a propellant from a propellant tank to a plurality of fluidic channels in thermal communication with a shared thermal capacitor, via a plurality of respective valves, including controlling, by a controller, flow rates through the valves in accordance with intended spacecraft maneuvers;
- transferring thermal energy stored in a material of the thermal capacitor to the propellant in the plurality of fluidic channels;
- and
- directing the propellant from the plurality of fluidic channels to respective ones of a plurality of thrusters.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.