Electrodynamic assembly for propelling a spacecraft in orbit around a star having a magnetic field

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11535405-B2
Application number	US-201816492002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2018
Priority date	Mar 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 27, 2022
Grant date	Dec 27, 2022

Abstract

An electrodynamic assembly for propelling a spacecraft in orbit around a celestial body having a magnetic field is disclosed. The assembly includes a plurality of coaxial cables for an electrodynamic assembly for propelling a spacecraft in orbit around a celestial body having a magnetic field. Each coaxial cable includes an electrically conductive core surrounded by a first electrically insulating sheath, and an electrically conductive current return circuit mounted outside the first electrically insulating sheath. The current return circuit includes a first end electrically connected to a first end of the core of the coaxial cable.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrodynamic assembly for propelling a spacecraft in orbit around a celestial body having a magnetic field, the electrodynamic assembly comprising:
a plurality of coaxial cables, each coaxial cable comprising an electrically conductive core surrounded by a first electrically insulating sheath,
wherein each coaxial cable further comprises an electrically conductive current return circuit mounted outside the first electrically insulating sheath, the current return circuit including a first end electrically connected to a first end of said core of the coaxial cable,
wherein the coaxial cables are electrically coupled in series such that when a current circulates, the current return circuits see a same current direction and the cores all see a same direction opposite the current return circuits, and
wherein the electrodynamic assembly extends between a first free end of the electrodynamic assembly and a second end fastened to the spacecraft.

2. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each coaxial cable further comprises a coating made from a magnetically conductive material surrounding said first electrically insulating sheath.

3. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the current return circuit comprises a layer of copper or silver arranged on the coating made from magnetically conductive material.

4. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the current return circuit of each coaxial cable comprises an electrically conductive wire.

5. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the current return circuit of each coaxial cable is formed by said coating made from magnetically conductive material surrounding said first electrically insulating sheath.

6. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein each coaxial cable further comprises a second electrically insulating sheath surrounding the current return circuit.

7. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the coaxial cables are placed in bundles.

8. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising an input terminal formed by a second free end of the core of a coaxial cable and an output terminal formed by a second free end of the current return circuit of another coaxial cable.

9. A spacecraft able to be orbited around a celestial body having a magnetic field comprising an electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 .

10. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of coaxial cables are electrically insulated except for electrical connections between the current return circuit of a coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables and the core of another coaxial cable of the plurality of coaxial cables.

11. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a length of the electrodynamic assembly is 1000 m.

12. The electrodynamic assembly according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the core of the plurality of coaxial cables is between 0.08 mm and 11.7 mm.

Assignees

• Safran Aircraft Engines

Inventors

• Marchandise Frederic Raphael Jean
• Godard Laurent
• Laurent Benjamin
• Oberg Michael

Classifications

• B64G1/10 Primary

  Artificial satellites; Systems of such satellites; Interplanetary vehicles (space shuttles B64G1/14) · CPC title

• H02K41/00

  Propulsion systems in which a rigid body is moved along a path due to dynamo-electric interaction between the body and a magnetic field travelling along the path {(electromagnetic launchers F41B6/00)} · CPC title

• H02K2203/15

  Machines characterised by cable windings, e.g. high-voltage cables, ribbon cables · CPC title

• B64G1/32

  using earth's magnetic field · CPC title

• B64G1/648 Primary

  Tethers · CPC title