A thruster for providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, which has a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for discharging a vapor for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps for drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically meter
A thruster for providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, which has a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for discharging a vapor for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps for drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically metering propellant to the reaction chamber in a controlled manner, and a controller for actuating the pump module.
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1. A thruster providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, comprising:a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for discharging a vapor for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps comprising cyclically-activated pumping diaphragms, drawing propellant
1. A thruster providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, comprising:a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for discharging a vapor for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps comprising cyclically-activated pumping diaphragms, drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically metering propellant to the reaction chamber in a controlled manner, and a controller for actuating the pump module; said thruster being a microthruster delivering a thrust between approximately 0.000001 to approximately 0.005 pounds force of thrust. 2. A thruster as set forth in claim 1 wherein the pump module comprises:at least one cavity having an upper surface and a lower surface, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the propellant reservoir, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the reaction chamber, a diaphragm located in each one of the at least one cavity the diaphragm being movable in a first mode to draw propellant from the propellant reservoir into a cavity and movable in a second mode to provide propellant from a cavity to the reaction chamber. 3. A thruster as set forth in claim 2 wherein the pump module comprises a plurality of cavities.4. A thruster as set forth in claim 3 wherein the plurality of cavities are coupled in series such that a conduit of a cavity communicates with a conduit of another cavity.5. A thruster as set forth in claim 3 wherein the plurality of cavities are coupled in parallel such that each cavity has a conduit communicating with the propellant reservoir.6. A thruster providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, comprising:a propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for acting upon the propellant to produce a propellant-plume for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps comprising cyclically-activated pumping diaphragms drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically metering propellant to the reaction chamber in a controlled manner, and a controller for actuating the pump module; said thruster being a microthruster delivering a thrust between approximately 0.000001 to approximately 0.005 pounds force of thrust. 7. A thruster as set forth in claim 6 wherein the pump module comprises:at least one cavity having an upper surface and a lower surface, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the propellant reservoir, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the reaction chamber, a diaphragm located in a diaphragm located in each one of the at least one cavity, the diaphragm being movable in a first mode to draw propellant from the propellant reservoir into a cavity and movable in a second mode to provide propellant from a cavity to the reaction chamber. 8. A thruster as set forth in claim 7 wherein the reaction chamber comprises a nozzle from which the propellant plume is exhausted for providing thrust.9. A thruster as set forth in claim 6 wherein the propellant is a monopropellant and the reaction chamber further comprises a catalyst for reacting with the monopropellant for producing the propellant plume.10. A thruster as set forth in claim 6 wherein the propellant is a monopropellant and the reaction chamber further comprises an igniter for igniting the monopropellant for producing the propellant plume.11. A thruster as set forth in claim 9 wherein the propellant is a hydrazine.12. A thruster as set forth in claim 9 wherein the propellant is HAN+TEAN.13. A thruster as set forth in claim 9 wherein the propellant is monomethylhydrazine.14. A thruster as set forth in claim 8 wherein the reaction chamber is electrostatic and further comprises an outer screen in front of the nozzle, the outer screen being electrically biased such that the propellant plume from the nozzle is attracted toward the outer screen to provide thrust.15. A thruster as set forth in claim 14 wherein the propellant is an ionic liquid.16. A thruster as set forth in claim 15 wherein the propellant is doped glycerol.17. A thruster as set forth in claim 15 wherein the propellant is a sodium iodide solution.18. A thruster as set forth in claim 8 wherein the reaction chamber is electromagnetic and further comprises a magnetic field in front of the nozzle, the outer screen being biased such that the propellant plume from the nozzle is attracted toward the field to provide thrust.19. A thruster as set forth in claim 18 wherein the propellant is an inert gas.20. A thruster as set forth in claim 19 wherein the propellant is Xenon.21. A thruster as set forth in claim 18 wherein the propellant is nitrogen.22. A thruster as set forth in claim 18 wherein the propellant is a hydrocarbon gas, such as methane.23. A thruster in accordance with claim 8 wherein the propellant is a liquid and the reaction chamber comprises a hot surface such that the propellant is brought into contact with the hot surface to produce a propellant plume.24. A thruster in accordance with claim 23 wherein the propellant is water.25. A thruster providing thrust for spacecraft positioning, comprising:a non-pressurized propellant reservoir for storing propellant, a reaction chamber for acting upon the propellant to produce a propellant plume for providing thrust, a pump module comprising one or more micropumps comprising cyclically-activated pumping diaphragms drawing propellant from the reservoir and for systematically metering propellant to the reaction chamber in a controlled manner, and a controller for actuating the pump module; said thruster being a microthruster delivering a thrust between approximately 0.000001 to approximately 0.005 pounds force of thrust. 26. A thruster as set forth in claim 25 wherein the pump module comprises:at least one cavity having an upper surface and a lower surface, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the propellant reservoir, a conduit communicating a cavity and with the reaction chamber, a diaphragm located in a diaphragm located in each one of the at least one cavity, the diaphragm being movable in a first mode to draw propellant from the propellant reservoir into a cavity and movable in a second mode to provide propellant from a cavity to the reaction chamber. 27. A thruster as set forth in claim 26 wherein a surface of the cavity is an electrode and the diaphragm is actuated by electrical current applied to the electrode.28. A thruster as set forth in claim 27 wherein the diaphragm is deflected toward and away from the electrode when electric current is applied to or removed from the electrode.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (14)
Donald C. Mayer ; Jon V. Osborn ; Siegfried W. Janson ; Peter D. Fuqua, Addressable diode isolated thin film array.
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