{
  "patent_number": "US 10800552",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "A Solid-State Oxygen Thruster for Spacecraft Propulsion",
  "original_title": "Propulsion apparatus for space vehicles and corresponding method",
  "summary": "A compact space thruster that generates thrust by electrically pulling oxygen ions out of a solid material using memristor-like switching behavior.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a tiny thruster for spacecraft that replaces traditional liquid or gas propellants with a solid-state oxygen source. It uses a stack of materials, including an 'active layer' made of an oxide that exhibits impedance hysteresis—essentially acting like a memristor. By applying electrical pulses, the system switches the active layer between a low-resistance state (where it allows oxygen ions to pass through and be expelled into a vacuum) and a high-resistance state (where it blocks them). This allows for precise, pulse-based control over the ion flow, which is then accelerated to create thrust.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover traditional chemical rocket engines using liquid or gaseous fuels.",
    "Does not cover ion thrusters that rely on noble gases like xenon or krypton.",
    "Does not cover propulsion systems that lack the specific memristive oxide active layer described.",
    "Does not cover non-solid-state oxygen storage methods."
  ],
  "filed": "2016-11-30",
  "granted": "2020-10-13",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/fondazione-istituto-italiano-di-tecnologia",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Samuele PORRO",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/samuele-porro"
    },
    {
      "name": "Alessandro Chiolerio",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/alessandro-chiolerio"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "aerospace",
    "semiconductors",
    "mechanical"
  ],
  "abstract": "A propulsion apparatus for space vehicles, includes a solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for extracting oxygen from said solid state oxygen-rich source layer, means for accelerating correspondingly extracted oxygen ions into vacuum. A stack includes the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, an active layer being deposited above the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, in contact with the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, the active layer being formed with a material different from the solid state oxygen-rich source layer, the material being an oxide presenting impedance hysteresis behavior.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10800552/starlink-satellite-constellation",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10800552/starlink-satellite-constellation/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US10800552",
  "relatedPatents": []
}