公开(公告)号：US20230369003A1

公开(公告)日：2023-11-16

申请号：US18124740

申请日：2023-03-22

Applicant: ENPULSION GmbH

Inventor： Ivanhoe VASILJEVICH

IPC: H01J27/02 ,  B64G1/40

CPC classification number: H01J27/024 ,  B64G1/405

Abstract: A liquid metal ion source, in particular an ion thruster for propulsion of a spacecraft, comprises a reservoir for the liquid metal, an emitter penetrating a front wall of the reservoir for drawing liquid metal from the reservoir and emitting ions of the liquid metal, and an extractor supported with respect to the reservoir and facing the emitter for extracting and accelerating the ions from the emitter, wherein the reservoir is provided with advancing means for creating an electromagnetic field within the liquid metal in the reservoir to exert a force on the liquid metal in a direction towards the emitter.