Patent ID: 6173565
Filing Date: 2001-01-16
Classification: B64G,F03H

Abstract:
A thruster set for use in a spacecraft attitude control system comprising: three pulsed plasma thrusters, each having:an anode discharge electrode;a cathode discharge electrode; andspark plug for initiating discharge of the thruster;a common capacitor for storing energy;anode stripline coupling the common capacitor to the anode discharge clectrodes of the three thrusters and comprising sheet having three portions angled relative to each other and respectively connected to the anode electrodes the three thrusters;a cathode stripline coupling the common capacitor to the cathode discharge electrodes of the three thrusters and comprising a sheet having three portions angled relative to each other and respectively connected to the cathode electrodes of the three thrusters; anda discharge initiation circuit coupled to each spark plug for selectively firing a single selected thruster of the three thrusters so as to provide a thrust impulse bit from the selected thruster along an axis of the selected thruster.