Laser-heated heat-exchanger thruster

Technical Report · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5645734

Kare, J

A hydrogen-fuelled laser-heated thruster can produce a specific impulse of 500--800 seconds -- sufficient to reach Earth orbit with plausible single-stage mass ratios -- at exhaust temperatures between 1000 K and 2000 K. At these low temperatures, a solid heat exchanger can be both cheap and efficient. A heat-exchanger-based thruster has a fundamental advantage over other laser-heated engines in that it is omnivorous -- any laser wavelength or pulse format is acceptable. We present some options for vehicle and launch-system design and estimate their performance. 13 refs., 8 figs.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE; USDOD; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5645734
• Report Number(s): UCRL-ID-107015; ON: DE91016503
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
THRUSTERS
LASER-RADIATION HEATING
HEAT EXCHANGERS
LAUNCHING
ORBITS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SPACE VEHICLES
HEATING
PLASMA HEATING
VEHICLES
330200* - External Combustion Engines
320201 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Air & Aerospace