Patents by Inventor Katherine M. Velas

Katherine M. Velas 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).

  • Patent number: 11644016
    Abstract: A pulsed metal plasma thruster (MPT) cube has a plurality of thrusters, each having a first cathode electrode and a trigger electrode separated from the first electrode by an insulator sufficient to support an initiation plasma, and a porous anode electrode positioned a separation distance from the face of all of the cathode electrodes. The cathode electrode can be either the inner electrode or the outer electrode. A power supply delivers a high voltage pulse to the trigger electrode with respect to the cathode electrode sufficient to initiate a plasma on the surface of the insulator. The plasma transfers between the anode electrode and cathode electrode of selected thrusters, thereby generating a pulse of thrust.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: Benchmark Space Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Mahadevan Krishnan, Katherine M. Velas