TITLE:
To the space by laser light (II)
AUTHORS:
Victor V. Apollonov
KEYWORDS:
Lightcraft; Impulsar; Launching of Objects by Laser; High Power Lasers; Optical Breackdown; Shock Waves
JOURNAL NAME:
Natural Science,
Vol.4 No.9,
September
19,
2012
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.