Laser Propulsion for ESA Missions: Ground to Orbit Launch Project Overview — Part 1

Resendes, D. P.; Mota, Sérgio; Mendonça, J. T.; Sanders, Berry; Encarnação, J.; Amo, J. Gonzalez del; Myrabo, Leik N.

doi:10.1063/1.2203299

Cited by 1 publication

(7 citation statements)

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“…A chemical equilibrium LSD wave model using LiH as a propellant is presented. Full details of this equilibrium model as well as the kinetic two-temperature model mentioned below are presented in [13]. The choice of this propellant is related to the low ionization potential of the LiH gas products and the relatively simple internal mode structure of these products.…”

Section: Modeling Thruster Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The losses are mainly due to two factors: diffraction losses [20] and atmospheric absorption [20] diff 1-4 R slant lsr 2r lsr r hot spot (13) …”

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The structure of such LSD waves is derived. Extension to a two-temperature kinetic model [13] has also been implemented. The results of the two-temperature model are consistent with and validate the simpler equilibrium results.…”

Section: Modeling Thruster Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When targeting the simulation towards a reference trajectory, it becomes more practical to deal with a lower number of independent steering program parameters. It is important to realize that the steering program must be defined before the simulation starts (see Table 1 [13]). There exist other possibilities, but these would take us into the domain of control theory.…”

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…5 [20]. The position of the vehicle is given by the following equations, after integration using a RungeKutta algorithm [13]: r F r =m r _ 2 r _ e 2 cos 2 1=r cos F =m 2 _ r _ e cos 2r _ _ e sin 1=rF =m r _ e 2 sin cos 2 _ r _…”

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Laser Propulsion for Ground Launch

Resendes¹,

Mota²,

Mendonça³

et al. 2007

Journal of Propulsion and Power

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Ground-to-orbit launch using laser propulsion requires a thermal system. A number of such thermal thruster concepts have been developed in the past. Thus far, only the laser-supported detonation thruster concept has led to a flight vehicle, the Lightcraft. It is shown via flight simulations and measurements with the Lightcraft that there are no inherent limitations for a ground-to-orbit launch vehicle using laser propulsion. A planar geometry laser-supported detonation thruster using a CO 2 laser is considered and its performance evaluated. A 10-km height flight vehicle using existing lasers is proposed. Nomenclaturespecific enthalpy of gas, height h P = Planck's constant h lsr = laser site altitude h ref = atmospheric scale height I abs = laser intensity absorbed by gas I sp = specific impulse k = absorption coefficient k B = Boltzmann's constant m = mass _ m= mass flow rate n X = number density of X P = power p = pressure q = specific heat added to gas r = radius r hot spot = vehicle hot-spot radius r lsr = laser main deflector radius T = temperature u = velocity in shock-fixed reference frame v = velocity in laboratory reference frame abs = atmospheric absorption coefficient R slant = slant range = efficiency = semivertex angle = longitude = wavelength = density = laser frequency = latitude e = Earth's rotational velocity

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Section: Modeling Thruster Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The losses are mainly due to two factors: diffraction losses [20] and atmospheric absorption [20] diff 1-4 R slant lsr 2r lsr r hot spot (13) …”

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Modeling Thruster Processesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Flight Modeling Of Laser Propulsionmentioning

confidence: 99%