Dereck Chiu

US Patent:

20160273524, Sep 22, 2016

Filed:

Feb 17, 2014

Appl. No.:

14/825356

Inventors:

- Washington DC, US
Dereck Chiu - Holmdel NJ, US
Taisen Zhuang - Arlington VA, US
George Teel - Asheville NC, US
Alexy Shashurin - Rockville MD, US

International Classification:

F03H 1/00
B64G 1/10
B64G 1/40

Abstract:

A thruster for a micro-satellite is disclosed. The thruster includes a voltage source, an inductor and a resistor. A switching device is coupled to the inductor and the resistor. The thruster includes an exterior electrode composed of a first propellant, an insulator located coaxially within the exterior electrode and an interior electrode composed of a second propellant located coaxially to the insulator and the exterior electrode. An exterior housing has a proximate end and an opposite distal end with a thrust channel. The exterior housing holds the exterior electrode, the insulator and the interior electrode. The switching device is coupled to either the exterior electrode or the interior electrode. The switching device is switched to pulse voltage from the inductor to create an arc between the exterior electrode and the interior electrode. Either the exterior electrode or the interior electrode may serve as a cathode to generate a plasma jet.