A thermal laser thruster depends on introduction of a high energy laser beam, absorption by the fluid propellant, confinement of the hot propellant gas with minimal losses, and conversion of thermal to kinetic energy in the nozzle. Based on thermodynamic constraints, efficient energy conversion is possible in either the subsonic Laser Supported Combustion (LSC) wave in a converging diverging nozzle or the supersonic Laser Supported Detonation (LSD) wave in a diverging nozzle configuration. A short discussion of both mechanisms is presented. Thruster modeling was performed. The results of steady laser heated LSD flows using LiH as propellant assuming finite rate chemistry are presented.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

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



    Conference:

    BEAMED ENERGY PROPULSION: Fourth International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion ; 2005 ; Nara (Japan)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 830 , 1 ; 576-587


    Publication date :

    2006-05-02


    Size :

    12 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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

    Resendes, D. P. / Mota, S. / Mendonca, J. T. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2006


    Laser Propulsion for Ground Launch

    David Resendes / Sérgio Mota / Jose Mendonça et al. | AIAA | 2007


    Laser Propulsion for Ground Launch

    Resendes, D.P. | Online Contents | 2007



    On-Orbit Propulsion System Project Overview

    Champion, Robert H. / Lyles, Garry M. | NTRS | 2002