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:
Aug. 31, 1993
Filed:
Dec. 03, 1992
Applicant:
Inventors:
Stephanie D Leifer, Pasadena, CA (US);
Winston A Saunders, So. Pasadena, CA (US);
Assignee:
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
F03H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
60202 ; 60204 ;
Abstract
Fullerene propellants, which are stable carbon cage structures composed of even numbers of carbon atoms in the range of about 32 to 200 atoms, particularly a combination of conveniently obtainable C.sub.60 and C.sub.70, may be carried in solid form in a spacecraft, sublimated to produce the appropriate molecular propellant such as C.sub.60 or C.sub.70, which may then be ionized by DC discharge or RF radiation to efficiently produce specific impulses in the range above 1000 lbf -s/lbm.