Fuel-free spacecraft propelling system based on spatial atomic oxygen and propelling method
US9796487B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 2013 |
| Grant date | Oct 24, 2017 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 1, 2034 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF03H1/0093
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A fuel-free spacecraft propelling system having an open-ended outer cylinder of a propelling device and an atomic oxygen collecting device is disclosed. The latter is arranged at the forwardly-propelled front end of the outer cylinder and is hermetically connected with an RF generating device and an ion cyclotron wave heating device through a magnetic confinement device. A spiral wave discharge oxygen plasma inlet and a spiral wave discharge oxygen plasma outlet in the ion cyclotron wave heating device are respectively provided with another magnetic confinement device. The propulsion of the invention does not need to carry the propellant, which greatly reduces the launch costs, and enables a spacecraft to advantageously have an increased orbit life over existing spacecraft systems.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.