Starter circuit for an ion engine

• US 6,369,520 B1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Electron Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hughes Electronics Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cardwell, Gilbert I. Jr., Phelps, Thomas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Philogene, Haissa
• Application Number:
  US09/934,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20020047622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 230 Days
• Field of Search: 315/289, 315/290, 315/291, 315/224, 315/307, 315/111.21, 315/111.51, 315/362, 361/247, 361/268, 60/390.3
• US Class Current: 315/290
• CPC Class Codes: F03H 1/0018 Arrangements or adaptations of power supply systems for cosmonautic vehicles B64G1/42

Abstract

A starter circuit particularly suitable for a plasma of an ion engine for a spacecraft includes a power supply having an output inductor with a tap. A switch is coupled to the tap. The switch has a control input. A pulse control logic circuit is coupled to said control input) said pulse control logic circuit controlling said switch to an off state to generate a high voltage discharge.

Claims

1. A spacecraft comprising:

a thruster housing;

a cathode disposed within said housing;

an anode disposed within said housing;

an output inductor having a tap;

a gas source disposed within said housing emitting gas adjacent the cathode and anode; and

a pulse control logic circuit coupled to said tap for establishing an arc in said gas.

2. A spacecraft as recited in claim 1 further comprising

a switch coupled to said tap, said switch having a control input; and

said pulse control logic circuit coupled to said control input for controlling said switch to an off state to generate a high voltage discharge.

3. A spacecraft as recited in claim 2 wherein said switch comprises a field effect transistor.

4. A spacecraft as recited in claim 1 further comprising a current sensor coupled to said output inductor for sensing a current output of said inductor.

5. A spacecraft as recited in claim 2 wherein said pulse control logic compares said current output to a current threshold and controlling said switch to an off state when said current output is below said threshold.

6. A spacecraft as recited in claim 5 wherein said current threshold is 1.5 amps.

7. A spacecraft as recited in claim 5 wherein said current threshold is 0.5 amps.

8. A spacecraft as recited in claim 1 further comprising a neutralizer positioned outside said housing.

9. A spacecraft as recited in claim 8 wherein said neutralizer comprises:

a neutralizer cathode;

a neutralizer anode;

a second output inductor having a second tap;

a neutralizer gas source emitting gas adjacent the neutralizer cathode and neutralizer anode; and

a neutralizer control circuit coupled to said second tap for establishing an arc in said gas.