BIDIRECTIONAL WAVE PLASMA ENGINE FOR A SPACE VEHICLE Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC F03H1/00 H05H1/54 

FIELD: cosmonautics.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to space technology, in particular, to electric rocket propulsion units with an electric rocket engine (ERE) with an electrodeless plasma source and an accelerating stage. The bidirectional wave plasma engine for a space vehicle comprises a gas discharge chamber defining the axis of thrust forces, an antenna, an RF generator module electrically connected with the antenna, magnetic systems, wherein the gas discharge chamber is made open to the external atmosphere from two opposite ends so as to form two directionally opposed thrust vectors with a common axis, which is the axis of the gas discharge chamber, wherein the antenna is located on the outside of the gas discharge chamber and is surrounded on the external side thereof with a ring of a dielectric material, wherein one magnetic system is located on each of the opposite ends of the gas discharge chamber.

EFFECT: implementation of the invention provides a reduction in the weight and dimensions of the engine, an increase in the specific thrust and specific impulse of the engine per unit of consumed power, eliminates parasitic discharges destroying the structural elements of the engine and space vehicle, eliminates losses when power is put to the plasma on the electromagnetic antenna-plasma communication line, eliminates the influence of electromagnetic emission on the structural elements of the propulsion system and the structural elements of the space vehicle leading to rotation of the space vehicle in space.

8 cl, 2 dwg