A thruster system for use in a spacecraft includes a microwave source, a resonant cavity coupled to the microwave source, wherein the microwave source is configured to generate a standing wave field in the resonant cavity, a nozzle provided at one end of the resonant cavity; and at least one injector configured to inject propellant into the resonant cavity so as to create a rotating circumferential flow. The standing wave field raises a temperature of the injected propellant to provide thrust by way of a hot gas exiting the resonant cavity via the nozzle.

The present disclosure discloses a propulsion method based on liquid carbon dioxide phase change and a propulsion device. The method includes the following steps of: accommodating carbon dioxide in a thermally insulated container in a liquid phase form; transiently heating to convert the carbon dioxide from a liquid phase to a gas phase; and jetting carbon dioxide gas after the phase change in a predetermined direction by a predetermined jet-out amount so as to obtain a propulsion force.

According to some embodiments, a system for widening and densifying a scrape-off layer (SOL) in a field reversed configuration (FRC) fusion reactor is disclosed. The system includes a gas box at one end of the reactor including a gas inlet system and walls of suitable heat bearing materials. The system further includes an exit orifice adjoining the gas box, wherein the exit orifice has a controllable radius and length to allow plasma to flow out from the gas box to populate the SOL with the plasma. The system may also include fusion products, which decrease in speed in the plasma in the SOL, allowing energy to be extracted and converted into thrust or electrical power and further allowing ash to be extracted to reduce neutron emissions and maintain high, steady-state fusion power.

According to certain aspects, an electric-propulsion thruster is used as part of a base or platform which also includes a power converter, having a plurality of inductors and other electrical components, and a printed circuit board (PCB). The PCB includes a layer at which the other electrical components and printed circuit inductor traces, for the plurality of inductors, are secured. The electric-propulsion thruster includes a housing (e.g., as part of the base or platform) providing a cavity and having at least one structurally-rigid side wall along the cavity, where the PCB is integrated with the electric-propulsion thruster for a compact arrangement which can be used to propel the apparatus. Such a compact design might be used as an important part of thruster spacecraft architecture such as micro-satellites (e.g., CubeSats).

The present invention relates to a Microwave Electrothermal Thruster(MET) adapted for in-space electrothermal propulsion comprising a tunable frequency Microwave Electrothermal Thruster propulsion module enabling primary propulsion and altitude control of a satellite/spacecraft wherein RF Semiconductors is introduced for the first time as microwave generator inside cavity body to increase its efficiency and respond time and to make the thruster capable of operating in two frequencies by mechanically tuning its cavity making such thruster compact and light weight. The free-floating plasma within the resonant cavity couples the incident electrical power directly to the tangentially injected propellant gas. The plasma forms by focusing the microwave energy into the first transverse magnetic mode and operates independent of the type of propellant gas used. Also, for the first time, Shape Memory Alloy is introduced into the thruster cavity to enable faster and effective tuning of the resonant cavity diameter, when switching between two operational frequencies.

The invention is for a startup system for nuclear fusion engines in space. The combustion of hydrogen and oxygen produces heat that is used by a heat engine to produce electricity. This can be supplemented by electricity from other operating engines. The exhaust from the combustion is condensed and electrolyzed to produce hydrogen and oxygen once the engine is in operation. This provides a constant source of energy for future startups. The engine is started up at partial power in electricity generation mode and this power replaces the power from the combustion as it grows. The combustor uses the same heat engine as the nuclear engine uses for power generation.

A thruster system for use in a spacecraft includes a microwave source, a resonant cavity coupled to the microwave source, wherein the microwave source is configured to generate a standing wave field in the resonant cavity, a nozzle provided at one end of the resonant cavity; and at least one injector configured to inject propellant into the resonant cavity so as to create a rotating circumferential flow. The standing wave field raises a temperature of the injected propellant to provide thrust by way of a hot gas exiting the resonant cavity via the nozzle.

A microwave electrothermal thruster (MET) and its control system is disclosed and claimed. The MET control system uses a dielectric resonator oscillator (DRO) in series with a GaN MMIC-based Solid State Power Amplifier (SSPA) to generate microwave energy, transfer it to a thrust chamber, and heat a propellant that exits a nozzle, providing thrust. The control system uses feedback to provide autonomous control of the MET. A wide variety of propellants may be used, including, for example, hydrazine, ammonia, and water.

A thruster system for use in a spacecraft combines chemical and electric or electrothermal propulsion. To that end a thruster may comprise a cavity including at least one inlet to receive a first fluid and a second fluid configured to chemically react with the first fluid within the cavity to generate a reaction product. Alternatively, the cavity may be configured to receive a monopropellant configured to chemically decompose within the cavity. The thruster system further comprises an energy source coupled to the cavity and configured to heat or ionize material within the cavity by emitting electromagnetic radiation. Still further, the thruster system comprises a nozzle provided at one end of the cavity and configured to direct heated material out of the cavity to generate thrust.

The invention is for a startup system for nuclear fusion engines in space. The combustion of hydrogen and oxygen produces heat that is used by a heat engine to produce electricity. This can be supplemented by electricity from other operating engines. The exhaust from the combustion is condensed and electrolyzed to produce hydrogen and oxygen once the engine is in operation. This provides a constant source of energy for future startups. The engine is started up at partial power in electricity generation mode and this power replaces the power from the combustion as it grows. The combustor uses the same heat engine as the nuclear engine uses for power generation.