Low-fluence laser–target coupling

Combis, P.; Cazalis, B.; David, Jean‐Christophe; Froger, Alain; Louis-Jacquet, M.; Meyer, Bernard De; Nierat, G.; Saleres, A.; Sibille, G.; Thiell, G.; Wagon, F.

doi:10.1017/s026303460000344x

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…(4), p is the ablation pressure delivered to the target by a laser pulse with intensity I and duration τ , and laser fluence Φ (J/m 2 )¼Iτ. C m values for laser ablation are well-known for many materials (Table 10, [21][22][23][24][25][26]), and are about four orders of magnitude larger than the weak effect of light momentum (Cmhν ¼2/c¼ 6.7 mN/MW). Short-pulse laser ablation creates hot vapor or plasma by the interaction, not new debris.…”

Section: Laser Ablation Impulse Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

L׳ADROIT – A spaceborne ultraviolet laser system for space debris clearing

Phipps

2014

Acta Astronautica

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Section: Laser Ablation Impulse Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

L׳ADROIT – A spaceborne ultraviolet laser system for space debris clearing

Phipps

2014

Acta Astronautica

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“…As incident pulsed laser intensity I increases in vacuum, vapor is formed and C m rises rapidly to a peak, then gradually decreases 15,16 ( Figure 1) according to Figure, the solid line is a best fit trendline showing the predicted (Iλ√τ) -1/4 dependence above (Iλ√τ) opt .…”

Section: Variation With Laser Parametersmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…(1), p is the ablation pressure delivered to the target by a laser pulse with intensity I and duration τ , and laser fluence Φ (J/m 2 ) = Iτ. C m values for laser ablation are well-known for many materials [12][13][14][15][16][17] (Table 2), and are about four orders of magnitude larger than the weak effect of light momentum (C mhν = 2/c = 6.7 mN/MW). Short-pulse laser ablation creates hot vapor or plasma by the interaction, not new debris.…”

Section: Laser Impulse Generationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Laser space debris removal: now, not later

Phipps

2015

SPIE Proceedings

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Small (1-10cm) debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) are extremely dangerous, because they spread the breakup cascade depicted in the movie "Gravity." Laser-Debris-Removal (LDR) is the only solution that can address both large and small debris. In this paper, we briefly review ground-based LDR, and discuss how a polar location can dramatically increase its effectiveness for the important class of sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) objects. No other solutions address the whole problem of large (~1000cm, 1 ton) as well as small debris. Physical removal of small debris (by nets, tethers and so on) is impractical because of the energy cost of matching orbits. We also discuss a new proposal which uses a space-based station in low Earth orbit (LEO), and rapid, head-on interaction in 10-40s rather than 4 minutes, with high-power bursts of 100ps, 355nm pulses from a 1.5m diameter aperture. The orbiting station employs "heat-capacity" laser mode with low duty cycle to create an adaptable, robust, dualmode system which can lower or raise large derelict objects into less dangerous orbits, as well as clear out the small debris in a 400-km thick LEO band. Time-average laser optical power is less than 15kW. The combination of short pulses and UV wavelength gives lower required energy density (fluence) on target as well as higher momentum coupling coefficient. This combination leads to much smaller mirrors and lower average power than the ground-based systems we have considered previously. Our system also permits strong defense of specific assets. Analysis gives an estimated cost of about $1k each to re-enter most small debris in a few months, and about 280k$ each to raise or lower 1-ton objects by 40km. We believe it can do this for 2,000 such large objects in about four years. Laser ablation is one of the few interactions in nature that propel a distant object without any significant reaction on the source. BACKGROUNDAs the movie "Gravity" dramatically illustrated 1 , the instability predicted by Kessler and Cour-Palais 2 is propagated among large debris by small debris. The instability has now reached the point where collisional cascades threaten the use of LEO space. The small debris carry a significant threat. With relative impact velocities of order 15km/s and mass areal density of order 1kg/m 2 , a 2cm, 300mg piece of small debris has a kinetic energy density of 113MJ/kg, 23 times that of dynamite. Its kinetic energy is 83 times that of a 9mm Luger round.While improved debris tracking and orbit prediction can temporarily improve threat avoidance via maneuvering 3,4 , effective debris-clearing strategies will be necessary. For very large objects like the 8-ton ENVISAT, an effective maneuver is to lower or raise it about 40km, resulting in four times less collision probability (see section 4.6).Four catalogued events have now occurred in which a debris collision terminated an active satellite. Thirty-five catalogued satellite breakups are of unknown cause, and many of these are surely due to collisions with untracked debris. However, t...

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“…Poc(I0/A)213 (11) 2 2/3 T oc(I0A ) (12) r;loc (I /X4)113 (13) ... Cm ° (I0A2)113 (14) However, as will be discussed below, for intensities less than 40h1 W/cm2, the scaling laws are significantly different than that ofthe higher irradience:…”

Section: B Scaling Laws Overviewmentioning

confidence: 99%