The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 23, 2024
Filed:
Sep. 07, 2021
Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Steven M. Pugia, Lafayette, IN (US);
Anthony G. Cofer, Lafayette, IN (US);
Alina Alexeenko, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, IN (US);
Abstract
A microthruster for controlling small spacecraft and methods for manufacturing the same are disclosed. Embodiments of the microthruster include one or more nozzle throats with cross sectional areas of at most 20 μm, and some with 6 μm. Some embodiments include heaters that heat water in one or more reservoirs to increase pressure in the reservoirs and eject the water from the one or more nozzle throats. Some embodiments are manufactured by etching channels into one or more layers of material, and still further embodiments are manufactured by forming the nozzle throats and/or the reservoirs between two layers of material. Some microthruster embodiments are flat in shape with the nozzle throats ejecting water out the thin sides of the microthruster. Still further embodiments are formed by etching channels into one layer of material, printing a heater onto another layer of material, and bonding the two layers together.