United Technologies Corporation

Andrew S Perrucci

Edward J Britt

John B McVey

Eduardo D Casillas

Glenn F Sander

Scott E Lowther

John B Mcvey

A Hall effect thruster for propelling spacecraft and satellites includes at least two acceleration channels, each of the channels has a closed end and an open end, and a plurality of flux guides adjacent each of the channels. The plurality of flux guides includes an innermost flux guide, an outermost flux guide, and at least one intermediate flux guide. Each intermediate flux guide helps provide a magnetic field to each of two adjacent acceleration channels.

Multichannel hall effect thruster

The present invention relates to a propulsion system for transporting a crew transfer vehicle. The propulsion system has a casing which defines a chamber, a solid propellant system positioned within the chamber for generating one of emergency escape propulsion during an emergency portion of an ascent flight and orbital injection propulsion during normal flight operations, and a sustain propulsion system communicating with the chamber for sustaining one of the emergency escape propulsion during the emergency portion of the ascent flight and orbital injection propulsion during the normal flight operations. In one embodiment of the present invention, the sustain propulsion system comprises a hybrid solid fuel grain and liquid oxidizer system. In a second embodiment of the present invention, the secondary propulsion system comprises a liquid fuel and liquid oxidizer system.

Adaptable solid-hybrid rocket for crew escape and orbital injection propulsion

A solid divert and attitude control system for use on a kill vehicle or missile that includes a solid propellant gas generator, a control valve for modulating the effective exit area of the solid propellant gas generator, and a controller for calculating the integral of the burn rate of the solid propellant and for controlling operation of the control valve in response to the calculation of the integral of the burn rate of the solid propellant. The solid propellant gas generator has a solid propellant with a non-constant burn area and a grain profile which includes a first boost phase grain, an intermediate sustain phase grain, and a second boost phase. The controller controls operation of the control valve during a coast phase of the mission so that the second boost phase grain does not ignite until the beginning of the terminal phase of the mission.

Growing community of inventors

San Jose, CA, United States of America

Andrew S Perrucci