Experiments were performed with a 2‐D, repetitively‐pulsed (RP) laser Lightcraft model in hypersonic flow conditions. The main objective was the feasibility analysis for impulse generation with repetitively‐pulsed air‐breathing laser Lightcraft engines at hypersonic speeds. The future application of interest for this basic research endeavor is the laser launch of pico‐, nano‐, and micro‐satellites (i.e., 0.1–100 kg payloads) into Low‐Earth‐Orbit, at low‐cost and on‐demand. The laser propulsion experiments employed a Hypersonic Shock Tunnel integrated with twin gigawatt pulsed Lumonics 620‐TEA CO 2 lasers (∼ 1 μs pulses), to produce the required test conditions. This hypersonic campaign was carried out at nominal Mach numbers ranging from 6 to 10. Time‐dependent surface pressure distributions were recorded together with Schlieren movies of the flow field structure resulting from laser energy deposition. Results indicated laser‐induced pressure increases of 0.7–0.9 bar with laser pulse energies of ∼ 170 J, on off‐shroud induced breakdown condition, and Mach number of 7.


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    Title :

    2‐D Air‐Breathing Lightcraft Engine Experiments in Hypersonic Conditions



    Conference:

    BEAMED ENERGY PROPULSION: Seventh International Symposium ; 2011 ; Ludwigsburg, (Germany)


    Published in:

    AIP Conference Proceedings ; 1402 , 1 ; 174-186


    Publication date :

    2011-11-10


    Size :

    13 pages





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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