Laser propulsion for the orbital transfer missionAmerica's space activities in the 1990s and beyond will partly consist of missions involving the transportation of cargo from low earth orbit (LEO) to higher orbits or to an escape trajectory. Such missions are to be performed with the aid of an orbit transfer vehicle (OTV). The operation of the OTV can be based on different propulsion concepts. A chemical OTV is characterized by a high thrust and low specific impulse. The result is a short trip time at the cost of large quantities of propellant. On the other hand, low-thrust systems such as electric propulsion units, consume very little propellant, but would have a long trip time. The present paper is concerned with a compromise between these two extremes. The employed propulsion system utilizes laser thermal propulsion, in which a ground or space-based laser is used to beam energy to a thruster on the OTV. The laser light is absorbed by a propellant. The resulting heating of the propellant causes an expansion of the propellant through a nozzle to produce thrust. Details regarding this propulsion concept are discussed, taking into account operational questions and missions.
Document ID
19850058672
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Frisbee, R. H. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Horvath, J. C. (Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Sercel, J. C. (California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, United States)