Massachusetts Institute of Technology

David Krejci

Paulo C Lozano

Oliver Jia-Richards

Spacecraft thruster systems are disclosed. In some instances, a spacecraft thruster system may include stacked ion thrusters and/or ion thruster layers. The ion thrusters and/or ion thruster layers may be sequentially activated and jettisoned from the thruster system after use.

Staging of ion propulsion thrusters

The present disclosure is related to propulsion systems (e.g., electrospray devices such as electrospray emitters and/or electrospray thrusters) having a sublimable barrier that may act as a passive valve for a propellant (e.g., a source of ions). The sublimable barrier may be located and arranged such that it physically separates a propellant, such as a source of ions, from an ambient environment exterior to the propulsion system. After the sublimable barrier has sublimated due to exposure to vacuum, and where appropriate diffused out of the propulsion system, the propulsion system may be operated normally. In some embodiments, the sublimable barrier may be a solid sublimable organic compound.

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Vienna, Austria

David Krejci