LASER PROPULSION THRUSTERS

LASER ROCKET PROPULSION RESEARCH RECENTLY HAS DEMONSTRATED SUBSTANTIALPOTENTIAL FOR THE CONVERSION OF HIGH POWER LASER ENERGY INTO THERMAL PROPULSIVE ENERGY, USING EITHER CONTINUOUS OR PULSED MODE LASER SOURCES. IT IS NOW POSSIBLE FOR THE FIRST TIME TO DEVELOP PROTOTYPE DESIGNS FOR ACTUAL LASER PROPULSION THRUSTERS THAT CAN BE BUILT AND TESTED AT REALISTIC LASER POWERS. TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, PREVIOUS LASER PROPULSION RESEARCH IS BEING REVIEWED, VARIOUS ENERGY CONVERSION TECHNIQUES EVALUATED, IMPORTANT SYSTEM QUESTIONS EXAMINED, AND EXISTING NUMERICAL MODELS USED TO DEVELOP SCALING LAWS AND QUANTIFY THRUSTER PERFORMANCE AT VERY HIGH LASER POWERS. BASELINE DESIGNS FOR ACTUAL LASER PROPULSION THRUSTERS ARE BEING DEVELOPED; DEVICES WHICH COULD LATER BE BUILT AND TESTED.