A thruster for a micro-satellite is disclosed. The thruster includes a cathode composed of a propellant material and an anode composed of ablative material. The thruster includes a housing having a proximate end and an opposite distal end having a thrust channel. The housing holds the anode and the cathode. A pulsed voltage source is coupled between the cathode and the anode causing current sufficient to create ablation of the anode and a plasma jet including ablated particles from the anode to be emitted from the thrust channel.
High thrust to power micro cathode arc thruster
2021-08-03
Patent
Electronic Resource
English
Micro-cathode thruster and a method of increasing thrust output for a micro-cathode thruster
European Patent Office | 2016
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