As is scientifically well known, magnetic flux is a physical force (i.e. the Lorentz force and Ampere's force). The invention utilizes a plurality of electromagnetic and or plasma coils to create high pressure, high velocity magnetic flux directed through variable exhaust nozzles or a cone shaped electrical coil to create thrust for spacecraft. Electrically charged ions or electrons are collected and propelled along the created magnetic flux lines through the variable exhaust nozzles or electrical coils to create thrust.

A satellite propulsion system and methods of operating the same include a first ionization stage and a second acceleration stage. The first ionization stage has a plasma source configured to produce an arc discharge and emit a preliminary plasma. The plasma source includes an external magnetic field configured to magnetize the arc discharge. The second acceleration stage has an accelerator positioned in series with the plasma source. The accelerator is configured to accelerate the preliminary plasma out through the accelerator, thereby creating an accelerated plasma flow. The application of an activation threshold voltage to the accelerator results in a surge in system performance parameters.

A thermal management system (5) for a magnetoplasmadynamic thruster (10) for a space craft is disclosed. The thermal management system (5) is located between at least one superconducting magnet (120) and a plasma discharge unit (15 and comprises a thermal barrier (40, 60) located adjacent to the plasma discharge unit (15), a multilayer insulation (70) located between the thermal barrier (40, 60) and the cryostat insulation (80), and a radiation gap (50) located in the thermal barrier (40, 60).

As is scientifically well know magnetic flux is a physical force (i.e. the Lorentz force and Ampere's force). The invention utilizes a plurality of electromagnetic and or plasma coils to create high pressure, high velocity magnetic flux directed through variable exhaust nozzles or a cone shaped electrical coil to create thrust for spacecraft. Electrically charged ions or electrons are collected and propelled along the created magnetic flux lines through the variable exhaust nozzles or electrical coils to create thrust.

According to various embodiments, a system for using magnetic reconnection to accelerate plasma is disclosed. The system includes a pair of electrodes including two concentric rings separated by an electrode gap and held at different electrostatic potential by applying a voltage to generate an inter-electrode electric field. The system further includes a plurality of magnetic coils configured to produce magnetic field lines that connect the pair of electrodes. The system additionally includes a gas injector configured to inject gas into the electrode gap, the injected gas being partially ionized by the inter-electrode electric field to generate a poloidal current that flows along open magnetic field lines across the electrode gap. A total Lorentz force causes oppositely directed magnetic field lines to be expanded around a region of the gas injector to further create an azimuthal current in the form of an axially elongated current sheet that is unstable such that the axially elongated current sheet reconnects and breaks into plasmoids.

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.

An injection system includes a reservoir for containing liquid, and a gating plate having a circular array of gating plate apertures. The injection system additionally includes a faceplate positioned adjacent to the gating plate and having a circular array of faceplate orifices. The injection system also has a motor to rotate the gating plate, and a controller to control the motor for rotating the gating plate into an aligned clocking orientation in which the gating plate apertures and the faceplate orifices are aligned to initiate the formation of a cylindrical array of liquid jets, and rotate the gating plate into a non-aligned clocking orientation terminate formation of the liquid jets after a predetermined discrete quantity of the liquid is injected.

The invention relates to an ion thruster, comprising: a chamber, a reservoir, comprising a solid propellant (PS), housed in the chamber and comprising a conductive jacket provided with an orifice; means for forming an ion-electron plasma in the chamber, which means are able to sublime the solid propellant in the reservoir, then to generate said plasma in the chamber from the sublimed propellant coming from the reservoir through the orifice; a means for extracting and accelerating the ions and electrons of the plasma out of the chamber, which means comprises at least two grids at one end (E) of the chamber; a radiofrequency AC voltage source for generating a radiofrequency signal comprised between the plasma frequencies of the ions and of the electrons, arranged in series with a capacitor and connected, by one of its outputs and via this capacitor, to one of the grids, with the other grid being connected to the other output of said voltage source;
said means for extracting and accelerating and said voltage source making it possible to form, at the output of the chamber, an ion-electron beam.

The present subject matter overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art by introducing or generating charged particles in an air stream and manipulating the air stream with magnetic fields operating on the charged particles. Embodiments of the present subject mater compress the air stream by accelerating charged particles with a moving magnetic field, where the magnetic field has a velocity perpendicular to its flux lines. The increased velocity of the charged particles increases the statistical mean particle velocity and thereby increases the pressure in the air stream. The compressed air stream is then heated and expanded through a second magnetic field. The expansion of the air stream substantially increases the velocity of the air stream and the charged particles therein. The interaction of the high velocity charged particles and the magnetic field imparts a force perpendicular to the flux lines, this force powers the movement of the magnetic field.

A method of producing a charge separation in a plasma having a low particle density which comprises a plurality of electrons and a plurality of positive ions. The method includes generating a magnetic field and passing the plasma having a low particle density along a first axis through the magnetic field. The magnetic field is generated having a component which is perpendicular to the first axis and is configured so as to deflect the plurality of electrons from the first axis and allow the plurality of positive ions to travel substantially undeflected along the first axis. Also provided is a magnetohydrodynamic generator and a low earth orbit thruster making use of the charge separation mechanism.