Independent non-solar powered exploratory craft for orbital rendezvous and positioning framework

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12492017-B2
Application number	US-202318320406-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 19, 2023
Priority date	May 19, 2023
Publication date	Dec 9, 2025
Grant date	Dec 9, 2025

Abstract

An isotope power source configured to act as a vehicle includes a plurality of radioisotope power sources encased around one or more elements therein to form a tile-shaped spacecraft.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An isotope power source configured to act as a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of radioisotope power sources encased around one or more elements therein to form a tile-shaped vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of radioisotope power sources are distributed or are centrally located as a single central unit.

2 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a structure holding a plurality of radioisotopes with reaction wheels and star tracker for orientation, an array of electric propulsion units for maneuvering.

3 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the structure has a radius or length to thickness ratio of greater than 5:1.

4 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the structure is 15 cm×15 cm×2 cm.

5 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the structure weighs less than 20 kg.

6 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of radioisotope power sources within the isotope power source vehicle weighs less than 1 kg.

7 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elements comprise:
one or more electrospray propulsion units configured to maneuver the isotope power source vehicle being a tile-shaped vehicle.

8 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the one or more electrospray propulsion units comprise a low propellant usage per orbital adjustment of <1 g causing the isotope power source to contain sufficient propellant to make more than 100 maneuvers.

9 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elements comprise:
a radio frequency (RF) transmitter or laser transmitter configured to communicate with one or more of a plurality of isotope power sources and computational algorithms to generate a three dimensional (3D) coordinate system.

10 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the craft is a spacecraft or a ground vehicle or in a liquid “ocean”.

11 . The isotope power source of claim 1 , wherein the isotope power source has a high aspect ratio of greater than >5:1 for length and width to thickness to function through isotope power generation, by using the large surface area to radiate heat for efficient heat to power conversion.

12 . An isotope power source configured to act as a vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of radioisotope power sources encased around one or more elements therein to form a tile-shaped vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of radioisotope power sources are distributed or are centrally located as a single central unit, and the one or more elements comprise one or more electrospray propulsion units configured to maneuver the tile-shaped vehicle.

13 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the one or more elements comprising:
a plurality of reaction wheels and a star tracker for orientation, and an array of electric propulsion units for maneuvering the isotope power source vehicle.

14 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the structure has a radius or length to thickness ratio of greater than 5:1.

15 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the structure is 15 cm×15 cm×2 cm.

16 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the structure weighs less than 20 kg.

17 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of radioisotope power sources within the isotope power source vehicle weighs less than 1 kg.

18 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrospray propulsion units comprise a low propellant usage per orbital adjustment of <1 g causing the isotope power source to contain sufficient propellant to make more than 100 maneuvers.

19 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the one or more elements comprise:
a radio frequency (RF) transmitter or a laser transmitter configured to communicate with one or more of a plurality of isotope power source vehicles and the computational algorithms to generate a three dimensional (3D) coordinate system.

20 . The isotope power source vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the 3D coordinate system:
is reported to an isotope power source vehicle or other vehicle operating within the coordinate system, wherein the vehicle can perform precision movement within the coordinate system.

21 . The isotope power source of claim 12 , wherein the isotope power source has a high aspect ratio of greater than >5:1 for length and width to thickness to function through isotope power generation, by using the large surface area to radiate heat for efficient heat to power conversion.

Assignees

• Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Nemanick Eric Joseph
• Helvajian Henry
• Hsu Andrea G
• Schilling John H

Classifications

• B64G1/411

  Electric propulsion · CPC title

• B64G1/422

  Nuclear power generation · CPC title

• B64G1/413 Primary

  Ion or plasma engines · CPC title