Laser propulsion experiments with a high-power pulsed CO2 laser

Wolfgang O. Schall; Hans-Albert Eckel; Wolfgang Riede

doi:10.1117/12.515832

10 November 2003 Laser propulsion experiments with a high-power pulsed CO₂ laser

Wolfgang O. Schall, Hans-Albert Eckel, Wolfgang Riede

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 5120, XIV International Symposium on Gas Flow, Chemical Lasers, and High-Power Lasers; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.515832
Event: XIV International Symposium on Gas Flow, Chemical Lasers, and High-Power Lasers, 2002, Wroclow, Poland

Abstract

Pulsed laser propulsion may turn out as a low cost alternative for the transportation of small payloads in the mass range of 1 to 10 kg to high altitudes and low Earth orbits (LEO). Using a pulsed, electron beam-sustained multi-wavelength laser with pulse energies as high as 410 J in CO₂ laser gas and possible repetition rates up to 100 Hz the launch of a “Lightcraft” has been demonstrated in the laboratory. A series of single pulse impulse measurements with a pendulum has been performed to derived the impulse coupling coefficient under various conditions. Simple plasma diagnostic and fluid dynamic investigations have been carried out as well.

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Wolfgang O. Schall, Hans-Albert Eckel, and Wolfgang Riede "Laser propulsion experiments with a high-power pulsed CO₂ laser", Proc. SPIE 5120, XIV International Symposium on Gas Flow, Chemical Lasers, and High-Power Lasers, (10 November 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.515832

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