Patent ID: 7500350

Claim:
A Hall thruster, comprising: inner and outer electromagnets, with the outer electromagnet circumferentially surrounding the inner electromagnet along a centerline axis and separated therefrom; inner and outer poles, in physical connection with their respective inner and outer electromagnets, with the inner pole having a mostly circular shape and the outer pole having a mostly annular shape; a discharge chamber separating the inner and outer poles; a combined anode electrode/gaseous propellant distributor, located at an upstream portion of the discharge chamber and supplying propellant gas; and an actuator, in contact with a sleeve portion or portions of the discharge chamber, wherein the actuator is configured to extend the sleeve portion or portions of the discharge chamber along the centerline axis with respect to the inner and outer poles, and the actuator is configured to extend the sleeve portion or portions based on operational conditions of the Hall thruster.