Astrium Gmbh

Messerschmitt-boelkow-blohm Gesellschaft MIT Beschraenkter Haftung

Helmut Bassner

Hans Martin Mueller

Rainer Killinger

Hans-Peter Berg

Ralph Kukies

A high-frequency ion source, in particular a high-frequency ion engine, includes a discharge chamber or container ( ), a source ( ) providing a gas to be ionized, a gas inlet ( ) discharging the gas from the source into the discharge container ( ) to be ionized therein, a high-frequency coil ( ) surrounding the discharge container ( ), and a high-frequency generator ( ) connected to the high-frequency coil ( ), for generating a high-frequency electromagnetic alternating field that ionizes the gas present in the discharge container ( ). Furthermore, an acceleration grid ( ) connected to an acceleration voltage source ( ) is arranged at the open end of the discharge container ( ) so as to accelerate the ions generated in the discharge container ( ) in the form of an ion beam emanating from the discharge container ( ). The shape of the discharge container ( ) in longitudinal section is tapered to become smaller toward the closed end ( ) opposite the open end ( ) of the container. Also, the high-frequency coil ( ) at least partly surrounds the discharge container ( ) in the tapered section.

High-frequency ion source

In a method and system for storing gas, especially an inert gas for elect impulse space drives which use inert gas as a reaction mass, the inert gas is filled into a storage tank in the gaseous and/or liquid state and is then cooled to solidify it into the solid state in which it is then stored. While in the earth's atmosphere, temperature regulation is achieved by means of thermal insulation of the tank and a convective heat exchange between a cryogenic coolant and the inert gas in the tank. While in the vacuum of space, temperature regulation is achieved by means of radiant heat exchange between the tank and deep space. For extracting the gas from the tank, the frozen gas is locally sublimated from the solid to the gaseous state by a controlled localized heat application, whereby the required gas pressure is developed for withdrawing gas from the tank which holds the gas in the solid state, except at a heated outlet area.

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Munich, Germany

Helmut Bassner