Application of high-power laser propulsion to explore a near-Earth space is discussed for a long time, starting from the pioneer investigations by Arthur Kantrowitz (1972) and Prof. A.M. Prokhorov (1976). A number of theoretical and experimental works on the laser propulsion were carried out in Russia, the USA, Germany, Japan, China, Brazil, and Australia since this time. Various models of spacecrafts with a laser propulsion were proposed with all this going on. One of these vehicles is the Lightcraft Technology Demonstrator developed by Prof. Leik Myrabo to be applied to launching of satellites into near-Earth space. In the chapter, we present a space mini-vehicle with laser propulsion produced by the aerospace laser-propulsion engine. The mini-vehicle optical system is designed to satisfy the principal conditions defining the vehicle application in a space. Particularly, one of these conditions is an independence of the vehicle orbital maneuver on a mutual orientation of the vehicle and laser power beam. This is achieved by using auxiliary onboard optical units such as receiver telescope, optical turret and hinges.
In the chapter, the applications of the mini-vehicle for removing space debris from the low and geostationary Earth orbits are considered.
Space Mini-vehicles with Laser Propulsion
SS Atomic, Opt., Plasma Phys.
2021-08-26
33 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
Satellite clusters , Lightsat vehicle , Space debris , Electrodynamics tethers , Space-tug , Trash-collector , Orbital maneuver , Circular orbits , Hohmann transfer orbit , Geocentric equatorial coordinate system , Propellant mass consumption , Specific impulse , Thrust , Propulsion efficiency , Space mini-vehicle , Receiver telescope , Optical turret , Optical switch , Electric-mechanical deflector Physics , Optics, Lasers, Photonics, Optical Devices , Aerospace Technology and Astronautics , Plasma Physics , Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology , Engineering Fluid Dynamics , Physics and Astronomy
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