Power beaming to space using a nuclear reactor-pumped laser
The present political and environmental climate may slow the inevitable direct utilization of nuclear power in space. In the meantime, there is another approach for using nuclear energy for space power. That approach is to let nuclear energy generate a laser beam in a ground-based nuclear reactor-pumped laser (RPL), and then beam the optical energy into space. Potential space applications for a ground-based RPL include (1) illuminating geosynchronous communication satellites in the earth`s shadow to extend their lives, (2) beaming power to orbital transfer vehicles, (3) providing power (from earth) to a lunar base during the long lunar night, and (4) removing space debris. FALCON is a high-power, steady-state, nuclear reactor-pumped laser (RPL) concept that is being developed by the Department of Energy with Sandia National Laboratories as the lead laboratory. The FALCON program has experimentally demonstrated reactor-pumped lasing in various mixtures of xenon, argon, neon, and helium at wavelengths of 0.585, 0.703, 0.725, 1.271, 1.733, 1.792, 2.032, 2.63, 2.65, and 3.37 {mu}m with intrinsic efficiency as high as 2.5%. Frequency-doubling the 1.733{minus}{mu}m line would yield a good match for photovoltaic arrays at 0.867 {mu}m. Preliminary designs of an RPL suitable for power beaming have been completed. The MWclass laser is fairly simple in construction, self-powered, closed-cycle (no exhaust gases), and modular. This paper describes the FALCON program accomplishments and power-beaming applications.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 10188667
- Report Number(s):
- SAND--93-2244C; CONF-940101--5; ON: DE94001208
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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