Space propulsion module having both electric and solid fuel chemical propulsion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10532833-B2
Application number	US-201414770329-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2014
Priority date	Feb 26, 2013
Publication date	Jan 14, 2020
Grant date	Jan 14, 2020

Abstract

A space propulsion module for fitting to spacecraft is provided. The space propulsion module includes a solid propellant chemical thruster including a main body, and at least one electric thruster. The at least one electric thruster is mounted on main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A space propulsion module, comprising: a solid propellant chemical thruster possessing a main body; and an electric thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on said main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster via a fastener structure including a top flange provided at a top end of the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, and a bottom flange provided at a bottom end of the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the top flange is an annular flange mounted on a top skirt of the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, and the bottom flange is a cylindrical flange mounted on a bottom skirt of the main body, wherein the electric thruster comprises an electric thrust plate, a tank of propulsion fluid, and a power processing unit for the electric thrust plate, wherein the electric thrust plate is a stationary plasma thruster plate and is mounted to the bottom flange so as to be directed toward a rear of the space propulsion module, wherein the tank of propulsion fluid is fastened to the bottom flange at a first end of the propulsion fluid tank and is fastened to the top flange at a second end of the propulsion fluid tank, and wherein the power processing unit feeds electricity for generating an electric field to operate the electric thrust plate, and the power processing unit being fastened in part to the bottom flange.

2. The space propulsion module according to claim 1 , wherein the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster is made of composite material.

3. The space propulsion module according to claim 1 , further comprising a steering control system for steering about at least one axis and including at least one gas thruster, and wherein said at least one gas thruster is fastened to the bottom flange and oriented tangentially to said bottom flange.

4. The space propulsion module according to claim wherein the top flange is provided with a top mechanical interface suitable for being connected to a spacecraft, and
wherein the bottom flange is provided with a bottom mechanical interface suitable for being connected to a space launcher.

5. A space propulsion module, comprising: a solid propellant chemical thruster possessing a main body; and an electric thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on said main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster by a frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure fastened around the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the electric thruster comprises an electric thrust plate, a tank of propulsion fluid, and a power processing unit for the electric thrust plate, wherein the power processing unit feeds electricity for generating an electric field to operate the electric thrust plate, wherein the electric thrust plate is a stationary plasma thruster plate and is directed toward a rear of the space propulsion module, wherein the electric thrust plate is fastened to an inside wall of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure, and wherein the propulsion fluid tank and the power processing unit are fastened to an outside wall of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure.

6. The space propulsion module according to claim 5 , further comprising a steering control system for steering about at least one axis and including at least one gas thruster, wherein said at least one gas thruster is fastened to the outside wall of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure and oriented tangentially relative to a main direction of the space propulsion module.

7. The space propulsion module according to claim 5 , wherein the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure includes a top support portion provided at a top end of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure with a top mechanical interface suitable for connecting to a spacecraft, and a frustoconical bottom adapter portion flaring from the top support portion and provided at a bottom end of the frustoconical bottom adapter portion with a bottom mechanical interface suitable for being connected to a space launcher.

8. A space propulsion module, comprising: a solid propellant chemical thruster possessing a main body; and an electric thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on said main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the electric thruster is mounted on the main body of the solid propellant chemical thruster by a frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure fastened around the solid propellant chemical thruster, wherein the electric thruster comprises an electric thruster member and a propulsion fluid tank, wherein the electric thruster member is fastened to an inside wall of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure, and wherein the propulsion fluid tank is fastened to an outside wall of the frustoconical or cylindrical frame structure.

Assignees

• Snecma
• Herakles

Inventors

• Duchemin Olivier Bernard
• Indersie Dominique
• Caubet Pascal Benoit
• Yvart Pierre

Classifications

• F03H1/0075

  with an annular channel; Hall-effect thrusters with closed electron drift · CPC title

• F02K9/08

  using solid propellants (F02K9/72 takes precedence; using semi-solid or pulverulent propellants F02K9/70) · CPC title

• B64G1/403

  Solid propellant rocket engines · CPC title

• B64G1/404 Primary

  Hybrid rocket engines · CPC title

• F02K9/76

  with another rocket-engine plant; Multistage rocket-engine plants · CPC title