US 12,168,976 B2
Neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft
David Krejci, Wartberg an der Krems (AT); and Quirin Koch, Vienna (AT)
Assigned to ENPULSION GmbH, Wien-Flughafen (AT)
Appl. No. 17/909,649
Filed by ENPULSION GmbH, Wiener Neustadt (AT)
PCT Filed Mar. 2, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/055108
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 6, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/204463, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 20168477 (EP), filed on Apr. 7, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0106067 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. F03H 1/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/40 (2006.01)
CPC F03H 1/0025 (2013.01) [B64G 1/405 (2013.01); F03H 1/005 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A neutralizer for an ion thruster of a spacecraft, comprising: a cathode for emission of electrons,
a support with an opening inside which the cathode is supported by the support in a radially spaced manner, and
an electrically conductive shielding which surrounds said opening and is electrically insulated from the support,
wherein a ring is mounted between the electrically conductive shielding and the cathode and is electrically insulated from the electrically conductive shielding and radially spaced from the cathode, and
wherein the ring is entirely ceramic.