Gyrostat propulsion system

A thrust producing apparatus as defined in claim-1, in which the rotating means is comprised of a means for rotating the supporting means about a principal axis while rotating the axis of rotation of the gyrostat wheel through 360.degree., in which the axis of rotation of the gyrostat is parallel to said predetermined direction while said supporting means is about 90.degree. from the axis of said predetermined direction, parallel to said predetermined direction while said supporting means is about 270.degree. from the axis of said predetermined direction and with the axis of rotation of the gyrostat wheel in the same direction as its orientation taken when the supporting means is about 90.degree. from the axis of said predetermined direction, perpendicular to said predetermined direction while the supporting means is about on said axis of said predetermined direction but at a position behind said principal axis with respect to said predetermined direction, and perpendicular to said predetermined direction but reversed in rotational direction from the position behind the principal axis while the supporting means is about on said axis of said predetermined direction but at a position ahead of said principal axis with respect to said predetermined direction.

A thrust producing apparatus comprising a gyrostat having a gyrostat wheel for rotation about a rotational axis, a principal axis for the apparatus, means for supporting the gyrostat a distance perpendicular to the axis whereby the plane of the rotational axis is tangent to a circle centered on the principal axis, means for rotating the gyrostat about the principal axis while rotating the rotational axis about 360.degree. in said plane while rotating the support 360.degree. about the principal axis, whereby precessional thrust is created in a direction orthogonal to the principal axis.