Patent ID: 9410539
Filing Date: 2016-08-09
CPC Classification: B64G,B81B,F03H,H05H

Claim Text:
1. A micro-nozzle thruster comprising: a heating section; a gas supply channel having a longitudinal axis, wherein the gas supply channel is configured to supply a gas to the heating section; a planar substrate defined by a plane, wherein the plane is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the planar substrate having a micro-nozzle formed therein, wherein the micro-nozzle is downstream of the gas supply channel, the micro-nozzle having an inlet and a thruster outlet; a first electrode having a spark generating portion disposed in the gas supply channel; and a second electrode having a spark generating portion disposed external to the gas supply channel and intermediate the gas supply channel and the micro-nozzle, the spark generating portion of the first electrode and the spark generating portion of the second electrode defining therebetween an arc discharge region configured to create a plasma flow from the gas; wherein the micro-nozzle thruster is configured to flow the plasma flow from the arc discharge region to the inlet of the micro-nozzle, and for the plasma flow to provide thrust force from the thruster outlet of the micro-nozzle.