Patent ID: 6216445
Filing Date: 2001-04-17
Classification: F03H

Abstract:
A pulsed plasma thruster comprising:vapor producing solids;heat producing means arranged adjacent said solids;a thruster housing having a thrust discharge chamber with a plurality of openings, a thrust nozzle, and a fuel propellant in said thrust discharge chamber;passageways leading from said solids to said thrust discharge chamber within said housing, the passageways arranged so that vapors from said solids are received through said openings of said thrust discharge chamber;first and second electrodes extending from said thrust discharge chamber through said housing; anda power source coupled to said first and second electrodes and configured to enable spark breakdown between the electrodes of said thrust discharge chamber, the power source configured to control the voltage-current shape of spark breakdown that results in a plasma arc capable of ablating said fuel propellant, and ionizing said solid vapors and fuel propellants within said thrust discharge chamber to create a thrust force outwardly directed from said thrust nozzle.