Inventors:
Young Kun Bae - Tustin CA, US
International Classification:
H01S 3/08
Abstract:
The invention is a system and method for propelling and slowing down spacecraft and other space systems and objects using the thrust generated from the direct laser photon momentum transfer between two platforms to and from unprecedented high speeds approaching the speed of light. The thrust from the direct laser photon momentum is amplified in an intracavity arrangement, in which laser photons bounce between two high reflectance mirrors separately located in two platforms. The laser gain medium is typically located between two mirrors, and amplifies the intracavity photon power, thus creating amplified thrust. This intracavity medium location arrangement offers two critical advantages: 1) the ability to maintain the intracavity photon power constant when the distance between the mirrors rapidly changes; and 2) the ability to overcome the power loss mechanisms, such as scattering and absorption.Furthermore, the current invention can be used for controlling the position and attitude of multiple spacecraft or spacecrafts in high precision formation flying or fractionated spacecraft architecture. This is advantageous over other propulsion concepts, such as chemical propulsion and laser beamed energy plasma or ablation propulsion, because the invention provides the highest specific impulse and dose not require any propellant, thus, significantly increases the payload fraction (payload weight/the total rocket weight), significantly decreases the payload launching cost, and is able to propel the spacecraft to velocities approaching the speed of light.