US 11,724,829 B2
Miniaturized green end-burning hybrid propulsion system for cubesats
Tyson Smith, Logan, UT (US); Zachary Lewis, Logan, UT (US); Kurt Olsen, Logan, UT (US); Marc Anthony Bulcher, Brigham City, UT (US); and Stephen Whitmore, Logan, UT (US)
Filed by Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, UT (US)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/691,614.
Application 17/691,614 is a continuation of application No. 16/945,473, filed on Jul. 31, 2020, granted, now 11,407,531.
Application 16/945,473 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/362,430, filed on Mar. 22, 2019, granted, now 10,774,789.
Application 16/362,430 is a continuation in part of application No. 14/802,537, filed on Jul. 17, 2015, granted, now 10,527,004, issued on Jan. 7, 2020.
Application 14/802,537 is a continuation in part of application No. 13/953,877, filed on Jul. 30, 2013, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/647,401, filed on Mar. 23, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/026,420, filed on Jul. 18, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,418, filed on Jul. 30, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,298, filed on Jul. 30, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,254, filed on Jul. 30, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,266, filed on Jul. 30, 2012.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/677,426, filed on Jul. 30, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2022/0348360 A1, Nov. 3, 2022
Int. Cl. B64G 1/40 (2006.01); F02K 9/72 (2006.01)
CPC B64G 1/404 (2013.01) [F02K 9/72 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hybrid propulsion system, comprising:
a housing having a first end and a second end and defining a cavity;
at least two electrodes extending into the cavity;
a solid-grain fuel material free of oxidizer and positioned in the cavity and exposed to the at least two electrodes, the fuel material having a combustion surface;
a combustion chamber defined between the combustion surface and the second end;
an oxidizer port arranged to provide a flow of an oxidizer to the combustion chamber;
a nozzle positioned at the second end;
wherein combustion of the fuel material in the combustion chamber is dominated by radiative heat transfer and maintains thrust of no more than 5 N at a flow rate of the oxidizer of no more than 5 g/s for a duration of at least between 1 and 15 seconds.