Patents Assigned to ENPULSION GmbH
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Patent number: 11905936Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to an ion thruster for thrust vectored propulsion of a spacecraft, comprising a reservoir for a propellant, an emitter having a base and, on one side of the base, at least one outlet for emitting ions of the propellant, wherein the base is connected to the reservoir for providing flow of propellant from the reservoir to said at least one outlet, and an extractor facing said one side of the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the extractor is split into sectors about an axis which orthogonally runs through said one side of the emitter, wherein said sectors are electrically insulated from one another.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2019Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: Enpulsion GmbHInventors: Nembo Buldrini, Bernhard Seifert, Alexander Reissner
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Publication number: 20230369003Abstract: A liquid metal ion source, in particular an ion thruster for propulsion of a spacecraft, comprises a reservoir for the liquid metal, an emitter penetrating a front wall of the reservoir for drawing liquid metal from the reservoir and emitting ions of the liquid metal, and an extractor supported with respect to the reservoir and facing the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the reservoir is provided with advancing means for creating an electromagnetic field within the liquid metal in the reservoir to exert a force on the liquid metal in a direction towards the emitter.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2023Publication date: November 16, 2023Applicant: ENPULSION GmbHInventor: Ivanhoe VASILJEVICH
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Publication number: 20230106067Abstract: The present invention relates to a neutralizer (4) for an ion thruster (1) of a spacecraft (S), comprising: a cathode (5) for emission of electrons (6), a support (7) with an opening (8) inside which the cathode (5) is supported in a radially spaced manner, and an electrically conductive shielding (9) which surrounds said opening (8) and is electrically insulated from the support (7), wherein a ring (11) is mounted between the shielding (9) and the cathode (5) and is electrically insulated from the shielding (9) and radially spaced from the cathode (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: April 6, 2023Applicant: ENPULSION GmbHInventors: David KREJCI, Quirin KOCH
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Patent number: 11365726Abstract: The present invention relates to an ion thruster for propulsion of spacecrafts, including: a reservoir for a propellant, an emitter for emitting ions of the propellant, the emitter having one or more projections of porous material and a base with a first side supporting said projections and a second side connected to the reservoir, and an extractor facing the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the base is impermeable to the propellant at least on said first side and has pores or channels for providing flow of propellant from the reservoir to said projections.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2018Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: ENPULSION GmbHInventors: Nembo Buldrini, Florin Plesescu
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Publication number: 20210300599Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to an ion thruster for thrust vectored propulsion of a spacecraft, comprising a reservoir for a propellant, an emitter having a base and, on one side of the base, at least one outlet for emitting ions of the propellant, wherein the base is connected to the reservoir for providing flow of propellant from the reservoir to said at least one outlet, and an extractor facing said one side of the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the extractor is split into sectors about an axis which orthogonally runs through said one side of the emitter, wherein said sectors are electrically insulated from one another.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2019Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicant: ENPULSION GmbHInventors: Nembo BULDRINI, Bernhard SEIFERT, Alexander REISSNER
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Publication number: 20200340459Abstract: The present invention relates to an ion thruster for propulsion of spacecrafts, including: a reservoir for a propellant, an emitter for emitting ions- of the propellant, the emitter having one or more projections of porous material and a base with a first side supporting said projections and a second side connected to the reservoir, and an extractor facing the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the base is impermeable to the propellant at least on said first side and has pores or channels for providing flow of propellant from the reservoir to said projections.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2018Publication date: October 29, 2020Applicant: ENPULSION GmbHInventors: Nembo BULDRINI, Florin PLESESCU