Accession Number:

ADA076065

Title:

Pulsed Laser Propulsion

Descriptive Note:

Final rept. 1 Sep 1976-30 Sep 1977

Corporate Author:

PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC ANDOVER MA

Personal Author(s):

• Nebolsine, Peter E.
• Pirri, Anthony N.
• Goela, Jitendra S.
• Simons, Girard A.

Report Date:

1978-02-01

Pagination or Media Count:

123.0

Abstract:

A fluid mechanical model is developed to assess the performance in both finite background pressure and vacuum environments of a rocket that is propelled by the absorption of radiant energy from a remotely stationed, repetitively pulsed laser. The model describes the gaseous propellant flow within a conical nozzle that is subjected to a series of point energy depositions at the apex of the cone. An equivalence between conical and parabolic nozzles is discussed for finite background pressure operation. The model predicts laser parameters necessary to achieve high specific impulses, i. e., 600 to 1000 sec. Scaling laws for high thrust - high specific impulse rocket systems are discussed.

Descriptors:

• *GASEOUS ROCKET PROPELLANTS
• *PROPULSION SYSTEMS
• *PULSED LASERS
• ABSORPTION
• CONICAL NOZZLES
• DETONATIONS
• ENERGY
• ENVIRONMENTS
• FLOW
• MODELS
• PERFORMANCE(ENGINEERING)
• PRESSURE
• RADIANT HEATING
• SPECIFIC IMPULSE
• VACUUM

Subject Categories:

• Lasers and Masers
• Rocket Engines

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE