Abstract: A liquid pour tray provides a plurality of liquid retaining receptacles each having a proximal portion and a distal portion defining an open end, the distal portion having a width narrowing in a direction opposite the proximal portion toward the open end. A plurality of partitions are interposed between the plurality of liquid retaining receptacles and an overflow reservoir is in fluid communication with the plurality of liquid retaining receptacles.

Abstract: A liquid pour tray provides a plurality of liquid retaining receptacles each having a proximal portion and a distal portion defining an open end, the distal portion having a width narrowing in a direction opposite the proximal portion toward the open end. A plurality of partitions are interposed between the plurality of liquid retaining receptacles and an overflow reservoir is in fluid communication with the plurality of liquid retaining receptacles.

Abstract: A power supply for an ion engine comprises a multiphase alternator and a power converter comprising a voltage multiplier coupled to each phase of the alternator. Each voltage multiplier comprises one or more staged voltage doublers. The alternator phases may be coupled to each other in a Y configuration such that no common return line is required, and each phase of the alternator provides equal amounts of constant power in a balanced, sequential flow. The converter corrects for the alternator's inherent internal reactance, thereby minimizing the required output of the alternator and reducing the overall power required of the system. A controllable impedance can be inserted into a low voltage portion of the multiplier for selectably varying the output voltage and power of the supply.

Abstract: An arcing protection circuit for the screen and accelerator grids of an ion thruster engine includes an impedance, which in one embodiment, is fixed, and in another, is variable, coupled in series between the accelerator grid of the engine and a current return path of the grid in such a way that an increase in accelerator grid current resulting from a plasma arc occurring between the screen grid and the accelerator grid is converted by the impedance into a rapid reduction in the voltage difference between the screen and accelerator grids, thereby extinguishing the arc. The arcing protection circuit also includes a monitoring circuit coupled to the accelerator grid that senses an increase in the voltage on the accelerator grid resulting from the plasma arc, and in response thereto, causes the accelerator grid power supply to reduce the voltage on the accelerator grid.