Fundamental Experiments on Glycerin Propellant Laser Thruster
- Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Tokyo Metropolitan College of Aeronautical Engineering, 8-52-1 Minamisenju, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-8523 (Japan)
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Yamato Bldg., 5-3-1 Kojimachi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8471 (Japan)
- Institute for Laser Technology, 1-8-4, Utsubohonmachi, Nishi-ku, Osaka, 550-0004 (Japan)
- Osaka University, 1-1 Yamadaoka Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan)
- Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 1 Koganezawa, Kimigaya, Kakuda-shi, Miyagi 981-1525 (Japan)
Impulse generation experiments of a liquid propellant laser thruster were conducted using glycerin propellants in the energy range of 60 mJ {approx} 60 J. Momentum coupling coefficients and specific impulses were obtained from momentum impulse and propellant mass measurements. The maximum specific impulse was 18 s at the laser beam energy of 55 J. Experimental data were scaled in terms of the laser beam energy and the diameter of the glycerin droplet to extrapolate laser thruster performance. The results indicate that the diameter of the glycerin droplet must be less than 0.24 mm in these experiments to achieve specific impulse more than 1,000 s that will be required to compete with other space propulsion systems.
- OSTI ID:
- 20632935
- Journal Information:
- AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 702, Issue 1; Conference: 2. international symposium on beamed energy propulsion, Sendai (Japan), 20-23 Oct 2003; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.1720994; (c) 2004 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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