205:, for their extreme sensitivity to the movement of mirror. Bae originally proposed to use photon recycling for use in a nanometer accuracy formation flight of satellites for this reason. Bae, however, discovered that in an active optical cavity formed by two high-reflectance mirrors and a laser gain medium in between, similar to the typical laser cavity, photon recycling becomes less sensitive to the movement of mirrors. Bae named the laser thruster based on the photon recycling in an active optical cavity Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT). In 2015 his team demonstrated the number of photon recycling up to 1,540 over a distance of a few meters and photonic thrusts up to 3.5 mN with the use of a 500 W laser system. In a laboratory demonstration, a Cubesat (0.75 kg in weight) was propelled with PLT.
395:
between the space shuttle's hydrogen/oxygen engines which has a specific impulse of 453 and the above cited example yields a specific impulse of 2034 for the mirror rocket which is a significant improvement. Clever control of the discs would allow much longer acceleration periods as well and therefore higher exit velocities. Jordin Kare calculated that these mirrored discs could theoretically be pushed to around 32 million g but would be at the limit of any material's strength and subject to total failure. The propulsion design can be used on spacecraft going out directly from Earth's orbit or coming towards the Earth as in a returning elliptical orbit.
194:
considerably higher force produced from the same laser power. There is also a multi-bounce photonic sail configuration which uses a large
Fresnel lens around a laser generating system. In this configuration the laser shines light on a probe sail accelerating it outwards which is then reflected back through the Fresnel lens to be reflected off a larger more massive reflector probe going in the other direction. The laser light is reflected back and forth many times improving the force transmitted but importantly allows the large lens to remain in a more stable position as it is not greatly influenced by the laser lights momentum.
236:
approaching 100%. The HX thruster is limited by the heat exchanger material and by radiative losses to relatively low gas temperatures, typically 1000–2000 °C. For a given temperature, the specific impulse is maximized with the minimum molecular weight reaction mass, and with hydrogen propellant, that provides sufficient specific impulse as high as 600–800 seconds, high enough in principle to allow single stage vehicles to reach low Earth orbit. The HX laser thruster concept was developed by
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a waiting mobile mirror disc which will be the reaction mass. The pulse of laser light becomes trapped in the tube, bouncing back and forth and accelerating the mirror disc out at very high velocity. The mirrors are moved into position inside the tube from magazines on the side of the craft after the laser pulse has switched off. Accelerations of millions of
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A continuous laser beam focused in a flowing stream of gas creates a stable laser sustained plasma which heats the gas; the hot gas is then expanded through a conventional nozzle to produce thrust. Because the plasma does not touch the walls of the engine, very high gas temperatures are possible, as
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In this design a lens and/or parabolic mirror focuses laser light into a small hole in a mirror that leads into a tube which is highly reflective inside and completely open at the other end. A phased-array laser is pulsed from Earth at the spacecraft where the laser light is focused into the tube to
251:
A variation on this concept was proposed by Prof. John Sinko and Dr. Clifford
Schlecht as a redundant safety concept for assets on orbit. Packets of enclosed propellants are attached to the outside of a space suit, and exhaust channels run from each packet to the far side of the astronaut or tool. A
99:
and laser sails. The second method uses the laser to help expel mass from the spacecraft as in a conventional rocket. Thus, the first uses the laser for both energy and reaction mass, while the second uses the laser for energy, but carries reaction mass. Thus, the second is fundamentally limited in
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Another method of moving a much larger spacecraft to high velocities is by using a laser system to propel a stream of much smaller sails. Each alternative mini sail is slowed down by a laser from the home system so that they collide at ionising velocities. The ionising collisions could then be used
52:
There are two main approaches: off-board, where the laser source is external to the spacecraft, and onboard, where the laser is part of the spacecraft's propulsion system. Off-board laser propulsion, which includes laser-powered launches and laser light sails, eliminates the need for the spacecraft
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This proposal would require two spacecraft: one that travels and another in Earth orbit to propel the former. The second spacecraft would fire thousands of metal pellets at the first. It would either shoot a laser at the first spacecraft or align a laser from the Earth at the first spacecraft. The
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laser beam from a space station or shuttle vaporizes the propellant inside the packs. Exhaust is directed behind the astronaut or tool, pulling the target towards the laser source. To brake the approach, a second wavelength is used to ablate the exterior of the propellant packets on the near side.
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A high energy pulse focused in a gas or on a solid surface surrounded by gas produces breakdown of the gas (usually air). This causes an expanding shock wave which absorbs laser energy at the shock front (a laser sustained detonation wave or LSD wave); expansion of the hot plasma behind the shock
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in the thousands. For example if a mirror disc is accelerated over 10 m at 2 million g it will reach a velocity of 20 km/s at the exit, this is over four times higher than the exhaust velocity of a hydrogen/oxygen rocket motor which is around 4.5 km/s. A comparison of specific impulses
213:
There are several forms of laser propulsion in which the laser is used as an energy source to provide momentum to propellant that is carried on board the rocket. The use of a laser as the energy source means that the energy provided to the propellant is not limited by the chemical energy of the
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values from 200 seconds to several thousand seconds are possible by choosing the propellant and laser pulse characteristics. Variations of ablative propulsion include double-pulse propulsion in which one laser pulse ablates material and a second laser pulse further heats the ablated gas, laser
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is usually assumed for actual use, at specific impulses around 1,000 seconds. CW plasma propulsion has the disadvantage that the laser beam must be precisely focused into the absorption chamber, either through a window or by using a specially-shaped nozzle. CW plasma thruster experiments were
193:
Metzgar and Landis proposed a variant on the laser-pushed sail, in which the photons reflected from the sail are re-used by re-reflecting them back to the sail by a stationary mirror; a "multi-bounce laser-based sail." This amplifies the force produced by recycling the photons, resulting in
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An extension of the idea is to utilize nuclear materials on the mini sails. These materials would undergo fission or fusion, greatly increasing the magnitude of the imparted force. However, this approach would require much higher collision velocities compared to non-nuclear implementations.
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propulsion. Using a large flat heat exchanger allows the laser beam to shine directly on the heat exchanger without focusing optics on the vehicle. The HX thruster has the advantage of working equally well with any laser wavelength and both CW and pulsed lasers, and of having an efficiency
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in which the propellant is heated by energy provided by an external laser beam. The beam heats a solid heat exchanger, which in turn heats an inert liquid propellant, converting it to hot gas which is exhausted through a conventional nozzle. This is similar in principle to
536:
laser would ablate some material from each pellet, propelling them at high speeds (>120 km/s) to provide thrust to the spacecraft. This method could allow a spacecraft to reach the outer planets in less than a year, 100 AU from the Sun in 3 years and the
147:, and the spacecraft must have strong pointing stability capabilities so it can tilt its sails fast enough to follow the center of the beam. These requirements increase in importance as mission complexity increases, such as when moving from
116:, in which the sail is being pushed by a laser, rather than the sun. The advantage of lightsail propulsion is that the vehicle does not carry either the energy source or the reaction mass for propulsion, and hence the limitations of the
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front during and after the pulse transmits momentum to the craft. Pulsed plasma propulsion using air as the working fluid is the simplest form of air-breathing laser propulsion. The record-breaking
197:
An optical cavity allows greater re-use of photons, but keeping the beam in the cavity becomes much more challenging. An optical cavity can be made with two high-reflectance mirrors, forming a
1404:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/301889798_Simultaneous_Investigation_of_Flexibility_and_Plasma_Actuation_Effects_on_the_Aerodynamic_Characteristics_of_an_Oscillating_Airfoil
201:
in which any small movement of mirrors would destroy the resonance condition and null photonic thrust. Such optical cavities are used for gravitational wave detection as in
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1955:
524:
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702:
1129:
Duplay, E.; Fan Bao, Z.; Rodriguez Rosero, S.; Sinha, A.; Higgins, A. (March 2022). "Design of a rapid transit to Mars mission using laser-thermal propulsion".
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and
Wolfgang Moekel, with a variant using laser ablation pioneered by Leik Myrabo. An exposition of Kantrowitz's laser propulsion ideas was published in 1988.
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are possible for these small highly reflective mirrors, and velocities over short distances can reach into the tens of kilometers per second, allowing
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has flown for 12 hours and 26 minutes charged by a 2.25 kW laser (powered at less than half of its normal operating current), using 170 watt
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A general class of propulsion techniques in which the laser beam power is converted to electricity, which then powers some type of
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to achieving high velocities are avoided. Use of a laser-pushed lightsail was proposed initially by Marx in 1966, as a method of
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1941:
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and the
Hungarian physicist György Marx. Propulsion concepts using laser-energized rockets were developed in the 1970s by
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in 15 years. It would also be able to propel heavier spacecraft than other propulsion concepts (~1 ton in mass).
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263:. One of the main advantages of using the proposed laser thermal propulsion system for sending spacecraft to
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micropropulsion in which a small laser on board a spacecraft ablates very small amounts of propellant for
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system and separate from the reaction mass. This form of propulsion differs from a conventional chemical
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2158:
2048:
1964:
1908:
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148:
1564:. Proceedings of the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program 6th Annual Summer Conference. NASA. June 1990.
746:
G. A. Landis, "Optics and
Materials Considerations for a Laser-Propelled Lightsail", paper IAA-89-664 (
590:
to convert laser energy to electricity and to electrically accelerate air around a vehicle for thrust.
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to interact with a powerful magnetic field on the spacecraft to provide a force to power and move it.
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2016:
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G. A. Landis, "Small Laser-Pushed
Lightsail Interstellar Probe: A Study of Parameter Variations",
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92:
1416:"Blasting the Air in Front of Hypersonic Vehicles with Lasers Could Unlock Unprecedented Speeds"
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Another concept of pulsed plasma propulsion is being investigated by Prof. Hideyuki
Horisawa.
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256:
173:
The laser-pushed sail is proposed as a method of propelling a small interstellar probe by the
129:
78:
2247:
2163:
1376:
1156:
1039:
937:
930:"Photonic Laser Propulsion (PLP): Photon Propulsion Using an Active Resonant Optical Cavity"
902:
851:
844:"Photon Tether Formation Flight (PTFF) for Distributed and Fractionated Space Architectures"
826:
511:
451:
447:
424:
412:
391:
73:
The basic concepts underlying a photon-propelled "sail" propulsion system were developed by
1808:
1514:
1281:
936:. AIAA SPACE Forum. Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
850:. AIAA SPACE Forum. Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
464:
241:
101:
17:
1312:
1152:
1038:. New York: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 1984. pp. 129–148.
898:
2252:
2026:
2021:
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1698:
779:
575:
439:
240:
in 1991; a similar microwave thermal propulsion concept was developed independently by
223:
54:
1043:
446:
and pulse duration, the material can be simply heated and evaporated, or converted to
143:
A large diameter beam is required so that only a small portion misses the sail due to
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1996:
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614:
599:
579:
272:
74:
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60:
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2061:
2031:
2011:
1988:
1734:
885:
Bae, Young K. (2008). "Photonic Laser
Propulsion: Proof-of-Concept Demonstration".
708:
609:
460:
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of small ALP setups is very high at about 5000 s (49 kN·s/kg), and unlike the
167:
137:
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Material is directly removed from a solid or liquid surface at high velocities by
53:
to carry its own energy source. Onboard laser propulsion involves using lasers in
2183:
2178:
2006:
1772:
1739:
1651:
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1518:
1499:
1380:
1355:
1333:
808:
D. G. Andrews, "Cost
Considerations for Interstellar Missions," paper IAA-93-706
691:
Journal of
Spacecraft and Rockets", Vol. 13, 8, pp. 466–472. doi 10.2514/3.27919
583:
487:
432:
288:
237:
144:
1375:. Springer Tracts in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. pp. 179–196.
1345:
https://inis.iaea.org/collection/NCLCollectionStore/_Public/50/003/50003489.pdf
929:
843:
2143:
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1844:
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R. L. Forward, "Roundtrip Interstellar Travel Using Laser-Pushed lightsails,"
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483:
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416:
125:
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96:
46:
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For spacecraft, laser electric propulsion is considered as a competitor to
170:
of small devices that receive their energy directly from solar radiation.
1782:
1590:
1561:
515:
85:
1933:
1580:
1320:
1297:"A Numerical Study on the Characters of Laser-Supported Detonation Wave"
1296:
993:. International High Power Laser Ablation and Directed Energy Conference
941:
855:
1777:
1767:
972:"Photonic Laser Thruster: 100X Scaling-up and Propulsion Demonstration"
563:
as the power receiver, and a laser has been demonstrated to charge the
387:
313: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
245:
830:
463:
removal, in which the laser ablates material from debris particles in
1185:
High-acceleration micro-scale laser sails for interstellar propulsion
686:
420:
89:
42:
1508:"12-hour hover: Flight demonstration of a laserpowered quadrocopter"
1477:"Pellet-beam propulsion spacecraft could reach Voyager 1 in 5 years"
1019:
906:
519:
performed in the 1970s and 1980s, primarily by Dr. Dennis Keefer of
1143:
1036:
Orbit-Raising and Maneuvering Propulsion: Research Status and Needs
1455:"Pellet-Beam Propulsion for Breakthrough Space Exploration - NASA"
817:
R. A. Metzger and G. A. Landis, "Multi-Bounce Laser-Based Sails,"
408:
45:
where both energy and reaction mass come from the solid or liquid
38:
259:
proposing a laser thermal propulsion system to be used to send a
443:
264:
202:
112:
A laser-pushed lightsail is a thin reflective sail similar to a
1937:
1594:
1562:
Investigations Into a Potential Laser-NASP Transport Technology
667:
Michaelis, MM and Forbes, A. 2006. Laser propulsion: a review.
644:
The Complete Book of Spaceflight: From Apollo 1 to Zero Gravity
282:
222:
The laser thermal rocket (heat exchanger (HX) thruster) is a
435:
which uses air as the propellant, ALP can be used in space.
1239:"Beamed Energy for Ablative Propulsion in Near Earth Space"
37:
where the energy source is a remote (usually ground-based)
1012:"Concepts and status of laser-supported rocket propulsion"
586:
has proposed high-thrust laser electric propulsion, using
128:
by not carrying fuel, and analyzed in detail by physicist
88:
to a spacecraft in two different ways. The first way uses
1532:"Laser Powers Lockheed Martin’s Stalker UAS For 48 Hours"
1216:
720:
G. Marx, "Interstellar Vehicle Propelled by Laser Beam,"
704:
Proceedings of the International Conference on Lasers '87
582:
propulsion for low-thrust propulsion in space. However,
132:
in 1989. Further analysis of the concept was done by
1112:"How A Giant Laser Could Get Us To Mars In Record Time"
95:
to drive momentum transfer and is the principle behind
1093:"Laser 'tractor beams' could reel in lost astronauts"
987:"Demonstration of a mN-Class Photonic Laser Thruster"
467:, changing their orbits and causing them to reenter.
2136:
2102:
2047:
1987:
1978:
1971:
1868:
1837:
1817:
1791:
1760:
1753:
1722:
1693:
1672:
1665:
1644:
1637:
767:, No. 4, pp. 149-154 (1997); Paper IAA-95-4.1.1.02,
778:
450:. Ablative propulsion will work in air or vacuum.
255:In 2022 a paper was published by researchers from
514:, the propellant must have low molecular weight;
819:STAIF Conference on Space Exploration Technology
271:by reducing the transit time outside of Earth's
974:. 20 November 2017 – via www.youtube.com.
687:MHD propulsion by absorption of laser radiation
620:Rocket propulsion technologies (disambiguation)
473:Propulsion Research Center has researched ALP.
166:The laser may alternatively consist of a large
1568:Final report of NIAC study on HX launch system
1188:(Technical report). Kare Technical Consulting.
1949:
1606:
1356:https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/ADA344774
1334:https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/citations/AD0766766
777:Eugene Mallove & Gregory Matloff (1989).
403:Ablative laser propulsion (ALP) is a form of
64:A laser launch Heat Exchanger Thruster system
57:or ionizing interstellar gas for propulsion.
8:
1367:Katsurayama, Hiroshi; Matsui, Kohei (2024).
934:AIAA SPACE 2007 Conference & Exposition
848:AIAA SPACE 2007 Conference & Exposition
494:) and Frank Mead, works on this principle.
2298:
1984:
1975:
1956:
1942:
1934:
1757:
1669:
1641:
1613:
1599:
1591:
525:University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
442:by a pulsed laser. Depending on the laser
1142:
373:Learn how and when to remove this message
1537:, 11 July 2012. Retrieved: 12 July 2012.
1237:Grant Bergstue; Richard L. Fork (2011).
159:to one-way landing missions and then to
59:
631:
2154:Differential technological development
1522:, April 2010. Retrieved: 12 July 2012.
1295:Oshima, Take; Fujiwara, Toshi (1991).
1277:
1266:
1246:International Astronautical Federation
84:Laser propulsion systems may transfer
711:, Ed. (STS Press, Mc Lean, VA, 1988).
510:propulsion. However, to achieve high
7:
1552:NASA video on Laser Drive Propulsion
1018:, Vol. 21, No. 1 (1984), pp. 70-79.
821:, Albuquerque NM, Feb. 11-15, 2001.
642:Darling, David (December 12, 2002).
637:
635:
311:adding citations to reliable sources
199:Fabry–Pérot optical resonance cavity
2243:Future-oriented technology analysis
1574:"The original paper describing ALP"
100:final spacecraft velocities by the
735:J. Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 21
25:
1044:10.2514/5.9781600865633.0129.0148
1020:https://dx.doi.org/10.2514/3.8610
1016:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
887:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
269:astronaut exposure to cosmic rays
2297:
1916:
1915:
1713:
1217:"UAH Propulsion Research Center"
669:South African Journal of Science
492:Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
471:University of Alabama Huntsville
287:
124:that would avoid extremely high
1430:"Hideyuki Horisawa - Citations"
1161:10.1016/j.actaastro.2021.11.032
298:needs additional citations for
155:missions, and when moving from
27:Form of beam-powered propulsion
763:British Interplanetary Society
523:and Prof. Herman Krier of the
49:carried on board the vehicle.
1:
2270:Technology in science fiction
261:spacecraft to Mars in 45 days
2115:Laser communication in space
1657:Pneumatic freestanding tower
1369:"Laser-Supported Detonation"
1182:Kare, Jordin (15 Feb 2002).
737:, pp 187-195 (Mar-Apr. 1989)
407:in which an external pulsed
1475:Young, Chris (2023-03-16).
1381:10.1007/978-981-99-4618-1_7
1373:Beamed-mobility Engineering
1010:H. Krier and R. J. Glumb.
787:John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
118:Tsiolkovsky rocket equation
2347:
2275:Technology readiness level
2211:Technological unemployment
1481:interestingengineering.com
1032:"Laser Thermal Propulsion"
2293:
2258:Technological singularity
2218:Technological convergence
1894:
1711:
1628:
928:Bae, Young (2007-09-18).
842:Bae, Young (2007-09-18).
544:Laser electric propulsion
415:plume from a solid metal
399:Ablative laser propulsion
18:Ablative laser propulsion
2120:Orbital propellant depot
2077:Plasma propulsion engine
2072:Nuclear pulse propulsion
1685:Momentum exchange tether
571:in flight for 48 hours.
538:solar gravitational lens
508:gas core nuclear thermal
477:Pulsed plasma propulsion
2223:Technological evolution
2196:Exploratory engineering
2057:Beam-powered propulsion
2039:Reusable launch vehicle
1860:Beam-powered propulsion
1745:Endo-atmospheric tether
781:The Starflight Handbook
724:, July 1966, pp. 22-23.
569:unmanned aerial vehicle
405:beam-powered propulsion
136:, Mallove and Matloff,
35:beam-powered propulsion
2233:Technology forecasting
2228:Technological paradigm
2201:Proactionary principle
2002:Non-rocket spacelaunch
1886:High-altitude platform
1804:Blast wave accelerator
1622:Non-rocket spacelaunch
1276:Cite journal requires
605:List of laser articles
531:Pellet-beam propulsion
411:is used to burn off a
209:Laser energized rocket
108:Laser-pushed lightsail
65:
2331:Spacecraft propulsion
2159:Disruptive innovation
1965:Emerging technologies
1909:Megascale engineering
646:. Trade Paper Press.
175:Breakthrough Starshot
63:
2206:Technological change
2149:Collingridge dilemma
1754:Projectile launchers
1418:. 24 September 2020.
1110:Gasparini, Allison.
588:magnetohydrodynamics
501:CW plasma propulsion
459:or maneuvering, and
307:improve this article
218:Laser thermal rocket
2263:Technology scouting
2238:Accelerating change
2110:Interstellar travel
1313:1991ipas.conf..891O
1153:2022AcAau.192..143D
985:Bae, Young (2016).
942:10.2514/6.2007-6131
899:2008JSpRo..45..153B
856:10.2514/6.2007-6084
823:AIP Conf. Proc. 552
701:A. Kantrowitz, in
685:Myrabo, L.N. 1976."
561:photovoltaic arrays
550:electric propulsion
279:Laser mirror rocket
122:interstellar travel
2280:Technology roadmap
1904:Rocket sled launch
1881:Buoyant space port
1723:Dynamic structures
1513:2013-05-14 at the
322:"Laser propulsion"
93:radiation pressure
66:
2313:
2312:
2132:
2131:
2128:
2127:
1931:
1930:
1833:
1832:
1709:
1708:
1705:
1704:
1673:Orbiting skyhooks
1638:Static structures
1390:978-981-99-4617-4
1255:on March 18, 2014
1200:"Claude AIP 2010"
1131:Acta Astronautica
1081:on July 24, 2011.
1053:978-0-915928-82-8
951:978-1-62410-016-1
865:978-1-62410-016-1
831:10.1063/1.1357953
795:978-0-471-61912-3
419:, thus producing
392:specific impulses
383:
382:
375:
357:
257:McGill University
130:Robert L. Forward
79:Arthur Kantrowitz
16:(Redirected from
2338:
2301:
2300:
2248:Horizon scanning
2164:Ephemeralization
2082:Helicon thruster
2067:Laser propulsion
1985:
1976:
1958:
1951:
1944:
1935:
1919:
1918:
1900:
1855:Laser propulsion
1758:
1717:
1670:
1642:
1615:
1608:
1601:
1592:
1587:
1585:
1579:. Archived from
1578:
1553:
1538:
1529:
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1497:
1491:
1490:
1488:
1487:
1472:
1466:
1465:
1463:
1462:
1451:
1445:
1444:
1442:
1441:
1432:. Archived from
1426:
1420:
1419:
1412:
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1401:
1395:
1394:
1364:
1358:
1353:
1347:
1342:
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1325:
1324:
1301:SAE Transactions
1292:
1286:
1285:
1279:
1274:
1272:
1264:
1262:
1260:
1254:
1248:. Archived from
1243:
1234:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1223:
1213:
1207:
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1205:. December 2022.
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318:Find sources:
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296:This section
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273:Magnetosphere
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33:is a form of
32:
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2326:Force lasers
2302:
2189:Robot ethics
2066:
2062:Ion thruster
2032:Space tether
2012:Orbital ring
1920:
1854:
1735:Orbital ring
1581:the original
1534:
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1484:. Retrieved
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1459:. Retrieved
1457:. 2023-01-09
1449:
1438:. Retrieved
1434:the original
1424:
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1307:: 997–1007.
1304:
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1269:cite journal
1257:. Retrieved
1250:the original
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1079:the original
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995:. Retrieved
991:ResearchGate
990:
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709:F. J. Duarte
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610:Optical lift
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461:space debris
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305:Please help
300:verification
297:
267:is reducing
254:
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214:propellant.
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168:phased array
165:
153:interstellar
142:
140:and others.
111:
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29:
2253:Moore's law
2184:Neuroethics
2179:Cyberethics
2007:Mass driver
1850:Spaceplanes
1773:Mass driver
1740:Launch loop
1652:Space tower
1645:Compressive
1631:Spaceflight
1519:LaserMotive
1137:: 143–156.
1068:"jkare.com"
584:Leik Myrabo
488:Leik Myrabo
433:Leik Myrabo
238:Jordin Kare
145:diffraction
126:mass ratios
97:solar sails
47:propellants
2320:Categories
2144:Automation
2094:Solar sail
2049:Propulsion
1845:Air launch
1825:Slingatron
1818:Mechanical
1761:Electrical
1486:2023-12-18
1461:2023-12-18
1440:2017-02-06
1144:2201.00244
997:2018-11-22
957:2022-11-20
871:2022-11-20
626:References
557:quadcopter
552:thruster.
484:lightcraft
429:lightcraft
417:propellant
363:March 2023
333:newspapers
114:solar sail
2174:Bioethics
1799:Space gun
1535:sUAS News
1259:March 18,
1222:March 18,
1169:245291262
915:0022-4650
765:, Vol. 50
565:batteries
248:in 2001.
177:project.
1922:Category
1899:See also
1792:Chemical
1783:StarTram
1511:Archived
1321:44581195
594:See also
555:A small
516:hydrogen
490:of RPI (
86:momentum
2017:Skyhook
1876:Balloon
1778:Railgun
1768:Coilgun
1680:Skyhook
1666:Tensile
1557:YouTube
1506:et al.
1309:Bibcode
1149:Bibcode
895:Bibcode
825:, 397.
347:scholar
246:Caltech
138:Andrews
69:History
2169:Ethics
2137:Topics
2087:VASIMR
1989:Launch
1972:Fields
1504:Nugent
1387:
1319:
1167:
1116:Forbes
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567:of an
448:plasma
421:thrust
413:plasma
349:
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134:Landis
90:photon
43:rocket
2103:Other
1584:(PDF)
1577:(PDF)
1317:JSTOR
1253:(PDF)
1242:(PDF)
1203:(PDF)
1165:S2CID
1139:arXiv
1071:(PDF)
409:laser
354:JSTOR
340:books
39:laser
2304:List
1500:Kare
1385:ISBN
1282:help
1261:2014
1224:2014
1048:ISBN
946:ISBN
911:ISSN
860:ISBN
790:ISBN
748:text
648:ISBN
521:UTSI
444:flux
326:news
265:Mars
231:and
203:LIGO
1555:on
1377:doi
1305:100
1157:doi
1135:192
1040:doi
938:doi
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852:doi
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761:J.
689:,"
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244:at
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275:.
104:.
1957:e
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1943:v
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370:(
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361:(
351:·
344:·
337:·
330:·
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20:)
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