Patents by Inventor Wesley Gordon Faler

Wesley Gordon Faler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Efficient Electric Spacecraft Propulsion
    Publication number: 20180080438
    Abstract: A propulsion system for spacecraft is based on an electric engine that expels propellant to achieve thrust. The propellant is first ionized to generate a plasma. Plasma particles are selectively accelerated via a pulsed laser that accelerates predominantly the electrons in the plasma. The electrons are expelled first, forming a space charge that acts as a virtual cathode to accelerate the positive ions. Interactions between the laser beam and plasma electrons are predominantly through the ponderomotive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventor: Wesley Gordon Faler
  • Hybrid electric propulsion for spacecraft
    Patent number: 9856862
    Abstract: A propulsion system for spacecraft is based on an electric engine that expels propellant to achieve thrust. The propellant is first ionized to generate a plasma. Plasma particles are selectively accelerated via a pulsed laser that accelerates predominantly the electrons in the plasma. The electrons are expelled first, forming a space charge that acts as a virtual cathode to accelerate the positive ions. Interactions between the laser beam and plasma electrons are predominantly through the ponderomotive force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Inventor: Wesley Gordon Faler
  • HYBRID ELECTRIC PROPULSION FOR SPACECRAFT
    Publication number: 20140305096
    Abstract: A propulsion system for spacecraft is based on an electric engine that expels propellant to achieve thrust. The propellant is first ionized to generate a plasma. Plasma particles are selectively accelerated via a pulsed laser that accelerates predominantly the electrons in the plasma. The electrons are expelled first, forming a space charge that acts as a virtual cathode to accelerate the positive ions. Interactions between the laser beam and plasma electrons are predominantly through the ponderomotive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Inventor: Wesley Gordon Faler