Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Laser Propulsion Phenomenology.
Abstract
This report summarizes progress on a research program carried out to investigate and define physical process important to the operation of pulsed and CW laser-heated thrusters. The work performed in this first year effort was divided into three tasks: (1) experimental measurements and quantum kinetic model calculations of the thresholds for laser-induced gas breakdown at visible and near UV wavelengths, (2) preliminary calculations of the spectral/radiant emissions from high temperature (T = 10,000 to 40,000 K), high pressure (P approx. 1 to 100 atm) plasmas of hydrogen and nitrogen, and (3) experimental measurements of the high temperature absorption properties of potential molecular seedants for a CW laser-heated thruster operating at lambda approx. 10 microns. The molecular absorption measurements were performed using a low power, line-tuneable C02 probe laser and a shock tube heating apparatus. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA140995
Entities
People
- D. Ham
- David M. Rosen
- G. Weyl
- N. Kemp
Organizations
- Physical Sciences (United States)