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A modular propulsion system includes an array of micromachined field effect electrostatic propulsion devices, each of which is an assembled micromachined device including an array of field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters, a fuel container of propellant using passive plumbing, electronic po

A modular propulsion system includes an array of micromachined field effect electrostatic propulsion devices, each of which is an assembled micromachined device including an array of field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters, a fuel container of propellant using passive plumbing, electronic power and command controls, with the array of devices disposed about and on a surface of a spacecraft for providing diverse propulsion needs.

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What is claimed is: 1. A device for providing propulsion, the device comprising, an array of thrusters, the array of thrusters being an array of micromachined field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters, a fuel container containing propellant for producing thrust from the array of thrusters, th

What is claimed is: 1. A device for providing propulsion, the device comprising, an array of thrusters, the array of thrusters being an array of micromachined field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters, a fuel container containing propellant for producing thrust from the array of thrusters, the fuel container comprising passive plumbing for communicating the propellant to the array of thrusters, and electronics for delivering power to the array of thrusters for generating thrust during ionization and acceleration of the propellant by the array of thrusters, the electronics controlling individually the field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters of the array of thrusters. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein, the electronics comprises a power converter and a solar cell array for delivering power to the array of thrusters. 3. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronics comprises, a battery for storing electrical power for delivering electrical power to the array of thrusters. 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the electronics comprises, a command decoder for receiving commands to control the array of thrusters, and a data processor for providing data indicating an amount of the propellant available to the array of thrusters. 5. The device of claim 1 wherein, the passive plumbing comprises passive means disposed in the fuel container for drawing the propellant by capillary action from the fuel container to the array of thrusters. 6. The device of claim 1 further comprising, data contacts for routing commands to the device and for routing data from the device, and heat sink contacts for transferring heat from the device to a heat sink. 7. The device of claim 1 further comprising, a data transmitter antenna for transmitting data, a command receiver antenna for receiving commands, and a transceiver for communicating the data to the data transmitter antenna and for receiving the commands from the command receiver. 8. The device of claim 1 further comprising, a heater for maintaining the propellant in a liquid state. 9. The device of claim 1 wherein, the device is a modular device, and the device has a modular shape of any solid shape containing at least one surface for supporting the array of thrusters. 10. A system for providing thrust on a spacecraft having a surface, the system comprising, a controller for providing commands, devices, the devices being modular propulsion devices disposed in an array on the surface, each of the devices comprises: an array of thrusters, the array of thrusters being an array of field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters, each of the field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters are micromachined thrusters; a fuel container containing propellant for producing thrust from the array of thrusters, the fuel container comprising passive plumbing for communicating the propellant to the array of thrusters; and electronics for delivering power to the array of thrusters for generating thrust during ionization and acceleration of the propellant by the array of thrusters, the electronics controlling the field effect electrostatic propulsion thrusters of the array of thrusters, the electronics for receiving commands from the controller, the devices being disposed in an array about and on the surface of the spacecraft. 11. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronics comprise, a power converter, a solar cell array for delivering power the array of thrusters, and, a battery for storing solar energy from the solar cell array and through the power converter and for delivering power to the array of thrusters. 12. The system of claim 10 wherein the electronics comprises, a command decoder for receiving commands from the controller to control the array of thrusters, and a data processor for providing data indicating a state of the array of thrusters. 13. The system of claim 10 wherein the passive plumbing comprises a passive means disposed in the fuel container for drawing the propellant by capillary action from the fuel container to the array of thrusters. 14. The system of claim 10 wherein, each of the devices further comprises a contact for routing commands from the controller to the device and for routing data from the device to the controller. 15. The system of claim 10 further comprising, a heat sink receiving waste heat from the devices, each of the devices is coupled to the heat sink for transferring heat from the devices to the heat sink. 16. The system of claim 10 wherein the controller comprises a command and data controller for generating commands to the devices and processing data from the devices, the controller comprises a command and data transceiver for communicating the commands and data, and the controller comprises a system antenna for communicating commands to the devices and for receiving data from the devices, and wherein, the electronics comprises: a command decoder for receiving the commands from the controller to control the array of thrusters; a data processor for providing data communicated to the controller for indicating a state of the array of thrusters; a data transmitter antenna for transmitting the data; a command receiver antenna for receiving the commands; and a transceiver for communicating the data to the data transmitter antenna and for receiving the commands from the command receiver. 17. The system of claim 10 further wherein, each of the devices comprises a heater for maintaining the propellant in a liquid state. 18. The system of claim 10 wherein, the devices are in a shape selected from the group consisting of cubes, squares, rectangles, hexagons, and triangles comprising at least one planar surface for supporting the array of thrusters, and the devices are micromachined devices. 19. The system of claim 10 wherein, the controller comprises a system battery for delivering power to the devices. 20. The system of claim 10 wherein, the controller comprises a system antenna for propagating an electromagnetic beam, and the devices comprise a device antenna for receiving the electromagnetic beam for providing power to the devices.