Laser Technology will be the New Power to Launch the Satellite
In year 1997, there was a satellite launched from the desert of New Mexico of America which only upraised to only about 20 meter high, but this experiment had caused a great sensation in the scientific community. You might be felt surprised why this mini satellite, which even not flying higher than fireworks was highly focused the world’s attention? The reason is this satellite was installed without any engine, and flied into the sky successfully. You might be here more surprised and curious about what pushed the satellite into the sky. Right, it is the laser!
In year 1960, American Maiman, who had invented the first laser in the world- ruby laser, was more than 40 years till now. With the continuously development of laser technology, more and more new model laser was developed. The laser technology had been widely applied in different areas as military, communication, medical treatment and computer. Human was well noticed that since the radio engineering had been successfully fulfilled the communication between the earth and space aircraft, comparing with microwave, laser owns the feature as short wavelength, low diffraction loss, so the radiation distance of this high directivity and coherency laser should be much far than the microwave. If the energy can be transferred to the satellite to be the power in the form of the laser, therefore, the aircraft can be energy supplied by the laser on the earth without any fuel. That is to say, the satellite is pushed into the space by laser propelling.
The basic principle of the laser satellite propelling is the laser energy is long distance transferred to heat the neutral propelling agent or air media in the rocket engine to create the transient state high temperature and density plasma with fast expansion, and then ejects the plasma from the motor nozzle of engine with high speed backwardly, to propel the rocket moving toward. Following is the reasons for choosing the new power to launch the satellite.
1.Laser propelling technology is a kind of high efficient energy inject method
Because limited by the capacity mechanism, the inject speed of the chemical fuel energy engine was already continue to be promoted. Because no matter how strong the chemical reaction it is, it is only the release of the energy which is stored in the outermost electrons. If want the unit quality propelling agent carrying more energy and create higher pressure, the peeling of electrons in deeper layer is needed, which can make the propelling agent to be high temperature high density plasma. It is impossible to fulfill this target by the burning of chemical fuel, the energy of propelling agent can only be injected in from outside. Transient heating of high laser pulse is a kind of high efficient energy injection method. So comparing with the traditional chemical fuel rocket engine, there are more potential advantages of laser rocket propeller.
2.Laser propelling technology is a kind of high efficient method to decrease the cost of rocket launching
Because almost the rocket no needs to carry the fuel, so there are only 1/10 of the neutral impelling agent or air medium carried than the chemical fuel rocket, which will simplify and decrease the expensive accessory equipments on the launching land and the cost of rocket.
3.Laser propelling technology can increase the efficiently actual load
Because almost all the energy of the laser rocket is supplied from outside, the practical actual load can be 10-30% of the launching weight. The ratio of efficient load and launching weight of traditional chemical fuel rocket is only 0.1%-0.2%, which means the efficient load can be great improved. For example, accelerating the 1T satellite to the No.1 space rate of 8km/s, if by chemical fuel rocket, 6.4T propelling agent is needed, but by laser plasma propelling method, only 0.04T propeller is needed theoretically.
4.The laser propelling technology is safe and reliable.
Because, for the rocket itself, it is not depended on the chemical fuel to get the power, and all the energy is from outside laser beam. Therefore, the propelling agent can completely adopt the incombustible materials, which makes the structure, manufacture and machining easier. So it becomes more safe and reliable during the launching and usage process.
5.Low pollution of laser propelling technology
At present, many kinds of chemical fuel and their emission after burning caused pollution and even poisonous. Laser propelling the rocket adopts clean and non-pollution materials as propelling agent without causing any environmental pollution.
6. In one word, using laser to replace the chemical fuel is feasible, and also, there is incomparable advantage than the chemical fuel. Although there are many difficulties in the technology of rocket laser propelling, for it great potential application of this technology, the research of this technology is continued. The laser propelling will bring revolutionary development to the rocket propelling technology.
