Patent · US Active

Field emission propulsion system and method for calibrating and operating a field emission propulsion system

US11801949B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by

1References

15Claims

0Family size

Assignee

MORPHEUS SPACE GmbH · DE

Inventors

Daniel Bock · Heidelberg, DE
Martin Tajmar · Dresden, DE
Philipp Laufer · Dresden, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Jan 30, 2020
Grant date	Oct 31, 2023
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Apr 30, 2042

Classification

Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
CPC primaryH01J27/26
WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A field emission propulsion system for a spacecraft includes a control unit, a propulsion assembly, and a plurality of extractor electrode voltage sources. The propulsion assembly comprises a plurality of field emission propulsion units having an ion source with a plurality of ion emitters and extractor electrodes associated with the ion emitters and disposed in a field arrangement. The plurality of extractor electrode voltage sources, each associated with the extractor electrodes to control the same, are controlled by the control unit using an individual extractor electrode voltage.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.