A spacecraft propulsion system has at least one chemical thruster, at least one electric thruster, a propellant supply arrangement that stores a propellant and a propellant conditioning arrangement configured to convert propellant into chemical species in a thermodynamic phase that can be readily ionized. The propellant is commonly supplied from the propellant storage device to each of the chemical thruster and the electric thruster. The chemical thruster has a gas generator and a high thrust accelerator; the electric thruster has a plasma generator and a high specific impulse accelerator. The propellant supply arrangement is configured to control flow of the propellant from the propellant supply arrangement to the gas generator and the propellant conditioning arrangement, and a first flow path connects propellant supply arrangement with the gas generator, and a second flow path connects propellant supply arrangement with the plasma generator.


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    Title :

    Unified chemical electric propulsion system


    Contributors:

    Publication date :

    2015-09-29


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / F02K JET-PROPULSION PLANTS , Strahltriebwerke / F03H PRODUCING A REACTIVE PROPULSIVE THRUST, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR , Erzeugung von Vortriebskraft [Schub] nach dem Prinzip des Rückstoßes, soweit nicht anderweitig vorgesehen



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