Is a
Patent attributes
Patent Applicant
Current Assignee
Patent Jurisdiction
Patent Number
Patent Inventor Names
Rodney Burton0
Curtis Woodruff0
Darren King0
David L. Carroll0
Date of Patent
February 25, 2020
0Patent Application Number
164361490
Date Filed
June 10, 2019
0Patent Citations
Patent Primary Examiner
Patent abstract
A Fiber-fed Pulsed Plasma Thruster (FPPT) will enable enhanced low Earth orbit, cis-lunar, and deep space missions for small satellites. FPPT technology utilizes an electric motor to feed PTFE fiber to its discharge region, enabling high PPT propellant throughput and variable exposed fuel area. An innovative, parallel ceramic capacitor bank dramatically lowers system specific mass. FPPT minimizes range safety concerns by the use of non-pressurized, non-toxic, inert propellant and construction materials. Estimates are that a 1U (10 cm×10 cm×10 cm, or 1 liter) volume FPPT thruster package may provide more than 10,000 N-s total impulse and a delta-V of 1.4 km/s delta-V for an 8 kg CubeSat.
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