Method for providing discharge power to electric propulsion thrusters
US6541916B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 1, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 19, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/443
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A satellite power distribution method for efficiently distributing power to satellite electric propulsion thrusters (24) is provided. The satellite includes spacecraft loads (20), an electric propulsion thruster (24), thruster auxiliary circuits (22), and a first power transformer (30). The first power transformer (30) has a primary winding (32) coupled to a first energy source (12) that supplies satellite power. A first secondary winding (36) of the first power transformer (30) is coupled to the spacecraft loads (20) for supplying primary power. The power distribution method includes the steps of first coupling a second secondary winding (34) to the first power transformer (30) for converting the satellite power to thruster discharge power which is rectified. The rectified discharge power is filtered to obtain power that is supplied to the electric propulsion thruster (24). Finally, satellite power is converted to auxiliary power for powering the thruster auxiliary circuits (22).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.