Flights of a Laser-Powered Lightcraft During Lser Beam Hand-Off Experiments
Abstract
The Lightcraft Technology Demonstrator (LTD) was a laser propelled trans-atmospheric vehicle concept developed at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the SDIO Laser Propulsion program in the late 1980's. This laser launch concept was envisioned to employ a 100 MW-class ground-based laser to transmit power directly to the Lightcraft in flight An advanced, combined-cycle engine would propel a 120 kg (265 lb) dry mass, 1.4 m (4.59 ft) diameter LTD, with a mass traction of 0.5, to orbit. The LTD vehicle would then become an autonomous sensor satellite capable of delivering precise, high quality information typical of today's large orbital platforms. Here, the 1 m diameter afterbody optic served as optical telescope or receiving/transmitting antenna for low power laser or microwave communication systems. The dominant motivation behind the LTD study was to provide an example of how laser propulsion could reduce, by an order-of-magnitude or more, the production and launch costs of sensor satellites. The 1989 study concluded that a vehicle production cost of $1,000/kg was realizable, and that launch costs must be limited to less than $100/kg for laser propulsion to play a significant role in the future of space transportation. Today, our expectations for the use of laser propulsion technology are slightly less ambitious. We envision the launching of 1 kg (2.2 lb) Laser Lightcraft into a low-earth-orbit (LEO) for less than $500 of electrical power using a 1 MW CO2 pulsed, electric laser. Production costs of about $3,000 for the 1 kg spacecraft appear reasonable at present. The LTD concept was, a microsatellite in which the laser propulsion engine and satellite hardware were intimately shared. The forebody aeroshell acted as an external compression surface (i.e., the airbreathing engine inlet).
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA405247
Entities
Organizations
- Air Force Research Laboratory