The DC/DC converter circuit includes: a primary-side circuit configured to convert DC power from a DC power source into a pulse voltage; an isolation transformer configured to transform the pulse voltage while isolating the pulse voltage; a secondary-side circuit connectable in a switching manner by a switching circuit to one of a rectifier circuit for a high-voltage low-current output mode or a current doubler circuit for a low-voltage high-current output mode; and a control circuit configured to perform connection switching control of the switching circuit so as to establish, depending on target supply power, connection to the rectifier circuit in the high-voltage low-current output mode, and connection to the current doubler circuit in the low-voltage high-current output mode.

The DC/DC converter circuit includes: a primary-side circuit configured to convert DC power from a DC power source into a pulse voltage; an isolation transformer configured to transform the pulse voltage while isolating the pulse voltage; a secondary-side circuit connectable in a switching manner by a switching circuit to one of a rectifier circuit for a high-voltage low-current output mode or a current doubler circuit for a low-voltage high-current output mode; and a control circuit configured to perform connection switching control of the switching circuit so as to establish, depending on target supply power, connection to the rectifier circuit in the high-voltage low-current output mode, and connection to the current doubler circuit in the low-voltage high-current output mode.

The present disclosure provides a plasma electric propulsion device comprising a capacitive energy storage device as a power source for an engine configured to heat and/or ionize and/or accelerate a propellant due to action of an electric field and/or magnetic field. The energy storage device comprises: a first electrically conductive electrode, a second electrically conductive electrode; and at least one metadielectric layer located between the first and second conductive electrodes. The metadielectric layer comprises at least one organic compound with at least one electrically resistive substituent and at least one polarizable unit. The polarizable unit is selected from intramolecular and intermolecular polarizable units. The organic compound is selected from the list comprising compounds with rigid electro-polarizable organic units, composite organic polarizable compounds, composite electro-polarizable organic compounds, composite non-linear electro-polarizable compounds, Sharp polymers, Furuta co-polymers, para-Furuta polymers, YanLi polymers, and any combination thereof.

The present disclosure is related to propulsion systems (e.g., electrospray devices such as electrospray emitters and/or electrospray thrusters) having a sublimable barrier that may act as a passive valve for a propellant (e.g., a source of ions). The sublimable barrier may be located and arranged such that it physically separates a propellant, such as a source of ions, from an ambient environment exterior to the propulsion system. After the sublimable barrier has sublimated due to exposure to vacuum, and where appropriate diffused out of the propulsion system, the propulsion system may be operated normally. In some embodiments, the sublimable barrier may be a solid sublimable organic compound.

The dipole drive is a new propulsion system which uses ambient space plasma as propellant, thereby avoiding the need to carry any of its own. The dipole drive is constructed from two parallel screens, one charged positive, the other negative, creating an electric field between them with no significant field outside. Ambient solar wind protons entering the dipole drive field from the negative screen side are reflected out, with the angle of incidence equaling the angle of reflection, thereby providing lift if the screen is placed at an angle to the plasma wind. Protons entering from the positive side are accelerated out the negative screen, producing thrust. The dipole drive can achieve more than 3 mN/kWe in interplanetary space and better than 10 mN/kWe in Earth, Venus, Mars, or Jupiter orbit and offers potential as a means of achieving ultra-high velocities necessary for interstellar flight.

A pulsed metal plasma thruster (MPT) cube has a plurality of thrusters, each having a first cathode electrode and a trigger electrode separated from the first electrode by an insulator sufficient to support an initiation plasma, and a porous anode electrode positioned a separation distance from the face of all of the cathode electrodes. The cathode electrode can be either the inner electrode or the outer electrode. A power supply delivers a high voltage pulse to the trigger electrode with respect to the cathode electrode sufficient to initiate a plasma on the surface of the insulator. The plasma transfers between the anode electrode and cathode electrode of selected thrusters, thereby generating a pulse of thrust.

Provided herein are various leptonic power sources, leptonic control systems, and leptonic-powered engines. In one example, an apparatus includes a housing having apertures through which material can enter and exit, and an anode coupled to the housing upstream from a cathode. A leptonic source emits beam electrons into the housing to ionize the material into a plasma according to a selectable ionization degree and deposit charge onto the cathode to establish an electric field in the plasma. A magnetic field source produces a magnetic field in the plasma at selectable angle to the flow of the plasma to at least partially entrain plasma electrons. Ions of the plasma are accelerated downstream in the housing by the electric field and impart momentum to a portion of the material to produce a thrust proportional to the selectable ionization degree of the plasma and a selectable intensity of the electric field.

Provided herein are various leptonic power sources, leptonic control systems, and leptonic-powered engines. In one example, an apparatus includes a housing having apertures through which material can enter and exit, and an anode coupled to the housing upstream from a cathode. A leptonic source emits beam electrons into the housing to ionize the material into a plasma according to a selectable ionization degree and deposit charge onto the cathode to establish an electric field in the plasma. A magnetic field source produces a magnetic field in the plasma at selectable angle to the flow of the plasma to at least partially entrain plasma electrons. Ions of the plasma are accelerated downstream in the housing by the electric field and impart momentum to a portion of the material to produce a thrust proportional to the selectable ionization degree of the plasma and a selectable intensity of the electric field.

An electrically controlled interfacial force generation device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a cell disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The cell includes a material that produces a mass in response to a bias voltage being applied across the first electrode and the second electrode. The device also includes a first wall at one end of the cell and extending between the first electrode and the second electrode. The device further includes an electrical power supply configured to provide a variable gradient voltage across the first electrode and the second electrode. A variable electric field gradient is produced and altered within the cell in response to the variable gradient voltage being altered. Altering the variable electric field gradient causes the mass to propagate across the cell and to impact the first wall transferring a force to the first wall.

A neutralizer suitable for use in an ion engine comprises a halogen gas source and an electrode tube comprising an inlet opening connected to the halogen gas source for supplying a halogen gas provided by the halogen gas source into the electrode tube, a discharge space for generating a plasma from the halogen gas supplied into the electrode tube, and an outlet opening for discharging the plasma generated in the discharge space and free electrons from the electrode tube. An electron emitter is arranged in the discharge space of the electrode tube, which is at least partially made of tungsten, a tungsten alloy or a tungsten composite material containing at least one of iridium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium and osmium.