A propulsion system for an orbiting vehicle such as a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite includes a set of surfaces over which a gas passes during orbital flight, and a plurality of electrodes on the surfaces. The electrodes are configured to create an electric field having a spatial field pattern in response to field signals, experienced by passing gas molecules as an oscillating field having a frequency on the order of a polarization-resonance frequency of the molecules to impart a propulsive traveling-wave dielectrophoretic force to the passing molecules. The electrodes extend over sufficient area to impart sufficient traveling-wave dielectrophoretic force to the gas to overcome aerodynamic drag and thereby sustain orbital flight of the vehicle. A power source applies the field signals to the electrodes, providing sufficient power to overcome power lost to aerodynamic drag and thereby sustain orbital flight.


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    Title :

    Propulsion and gas-moving systems using travelling-wave gas dielectrophoresis



    Publication date :

    2019-08-27


    Type of media :

    Patent


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English


    Classification :

    IPC:    B64G Raumfahrt , COSMONAUTICS / B03C Magnetische oder elektrostatische Trennung fester Stoffe von festen Stoffen oder flüssigen oder gasförmigen Medien , MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLID MATERIALS OR FLUIDS



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