Multistage Electromagnetic and Laser Launch Systems for Affordable, Rapid Access to Space

The need to significantly reduce the cost of launching micro-satellites into space has led to interest and development of several technologies to include multistage electromagnetic launchers and laser beam propulsion. However, these specific systems have a lot of components which need to be integrated to produce an efficient, cost-effective system. These components must also be capable of handling a variety of different load masses and desired velocities. Additional, the electrical load can vary significantly from launch to launch even for similar loads and desired trajectories. HEM Technologies and the Pulsed Power and Power Electronics Center at Texas Tech University propose to simulate, construct and test a fast, transient control system of an electromagnetic launcher distributed capacitor bank group to produce an efficient launch pulse that is compatible with a variety of loads and desired velocities. This pulse shaping control system can also be used across multiple stages to ensure efficient transfer between each stage, further increasing efficiency.