Patent ID: 9309871
Filing Date: 2016-04-12
CPC Classification: B64G,F03H,G05D,H01J,H05H

Claim Text:
1. A Hall effect thruster comprising: a discharge channel with an open downstream end; a cathode situated outside the discharge channel; an injector system configured to inject a atoms of gas into the discharge channel, the injector system being situated at an upstream end of the discharge channel and also forming an anode; a heater device configured to heat the cathode; a temperature sensor configured to produce measurements of a temperature of the heater device; and a regulator circuit configured to regulate the temperature such that the heater device heats until a most recent of the measurements of the temperature reaches a threshold temperature from which the thruster is capable of starting, and ceases to heat shortly after the threshold temperature has been reached, wherein the injector system injects the gas into the discharge channel after the most recent of the measurements of the temperature reaches the threshold temperature.