Abstract
New approach to the problem of laser jet engine (LJE) creation is based on the use of shock waves (SW) resonance association mechanism, generated by the optical pulsating discharge (OPD). For the creation OPD is proposed to use powerful pulse - periodic (P-P) laser radiation with duration of pulses ~ 100 - 150 ns and high pulse repetition frequency ~ 50 - 100 kHz. OPD is formed with the help of matrix of reflectors (MR). This is allowed: several times to increase the effectiveness of laser emission use for purposes of LJE creation, to avoid strong impact loads on the apparatus, to exclude the thermal action of laser plasma on the reflector, to decrease the laser emission screening by plasma, to remove the problem of the resonance oscillations appearance into the object moved with the help of laser. In our article the estimations of possible LJE thrust levels under the conditions of the proposed mechanism of reactive motion are given. Also, the new approaches to the creation of the high power high repetition rate laser systems for the “Impulsar” program are examined.
Highlights
laser jet engine (LJE) is the most promising rocket engine of a new class
In our article the discussion deals with the creation of automatic spacecraft engine, which will pass its trajectory under the action of directed toward it from the Earth’s surface the sequence of high repetition rate short in time duration laser pulses
Laser emission is focused by the reflector, which can have a form of hemisphere or parabolic
Summary
LJE is the most promising rocket engine of a new class. In our article the discussion deals with the creation of automatic spacecraft engine, which will pass its trajectory under the action of directed toward it from the Earth’s surface the sequence of high repetition rate short in time duration laser pulses. There are many other advantages of high repetition rate P-P lasers should be mentioned here as well [3] They are: 1) Much higher efficiency of energy extraction from a media and conversion into laser light, which is important for high aperture lasers scale up; 2) Plasma screening effect decreasing due to the decreasing of laser pulses duration and increasing of number of pulses up to a few tens of kHz; 3) Decreasing of laser beam thermal defocusing due to the optimal temporal structure of laser radiation; 4) Localization of energy deposition in space and time and elimination of stressed state of solids under laser action due to replacement of melting by ablation; 5) Possibility of unrolled 3 d geometry of breakdowns in space due to a very high repetition rate generation of laser pulses, creation of optical, acoustical and electromagnetic fields far away of laser source; 6) Much longer distances of optical breakdown conditions for the same optical systems
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