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Title: Ion electric propulsion unit

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1118259
;

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) thruster is disclosed having a plasma chamber which is electrically biased with a positive voltage. The chamber bias serves to efficiently accelerate and expel the positive ions from the chamber. Electrons follow the exiting ions, serving to provide an electrically neutral exhaust plume. In a further embodiment, a downstream shaping magnetic field serves to further accelerate and/or shape the exhaust plume.

Research Organization:
Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-36
Assignee:
U.S. Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
Patent Number(s):
8,635,850
Application Number:
12/201,071
OSTI ID:
1118259
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 2008 Aug 29
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (11)

Spacecraft with modulated thrust electrostatic ion thruster and associated method patent May 1989
Ion source having auxillary ion chamber patent April 1992
Cyclotron resonance ion engine patent August 1993
Compact coupling for microwave-electro-thermal thruster patent March 2001
Microwave discharge type electrostatic accelerator having upstream and downstream acceleration electrodes patent May 2002
Apparatus for Generating High Current Electrical Discharges patent-application March 2006
Spacecraft thruster patent-application October 2007
Extreme ultra violet light source device patent-application February 2008
Whistler wave driven plasma thruster
  • Bickford Hooper, E.; Stallard, Barry W.; Makowski, Michael A.
  • Proceedings of the tenth symposium on soacpace nuclear and propulsion, AIP Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.1063/1.43245
conference January 1993
The High Power Electric Propulsion (HiPEP) Ion Thruster conference June 2012
Experiments with biased cylinder in electron cyclotron resonance ion source (plenary) journal May 2004

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