Photonic Laser Thruster

Other Unique Engineering Ideas

Einstein's vision of laser-powered rockets whizzing through space may not be realized in the near future, but the idea of humans traveling the cosmos at "warp" speeds came a step closer to reality in December when Young Bae of the Bae Institute successfully demonstrated the first photonic laser thruster (PLT). 

1. Description

2· Why Do We Need It?

3· How Does It Work?

4· Immediate goals

5· Future trends

6· Related links 

Useful Links: laser propulsion (1, 2), advanced propulsion concepts

Description 

Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT) generates thrust from direct momentum transfer of photons. Photonic Laser Propulsion (PLP), an innovative photon propulsion concept, overcomes the technological challenges in implementing previously proposed multiple reflection laser photon propulsion concepts.

Why Do We Need It? 

By exploiting the active resonant optical cavity in which the laser cavity is directly formed between two spaces platforms.With an amplification factor of 3000, the photon thrust generated from the egg-sized laser head in the PLT prototype is equivalent to the thrust that can currently only be generated by orders-of-magnitudes larger and heavier industrial or weapons-grade lasers.No other propellants are needed with PLT, resulting in mass energy savings, extended spacecraft missions, and contaminant-free operation for highly precise sensors.

How Does It Work?

(Ref:http://pdf.aiaa.org/preview/CDReadyMSPACE07_1808/PV2007_6156 .PDF - Photonic Laser Thruster (PLT): Experimental Prototype Development and Demonstration.) 

Dr. Young Bae of the Bae Institute in Tustin, Calif., has demonstrated a photonic laser thruster (PLT), reportedly bringing the concept of laser light-powered rockets closer to reality. 

  • Photon particles, lacking mass and electric charge, had previously been dismissed as inefficient for producing thrust;

  • To overcome these limitations, the PLT system repeatedly bounces photons between two mirrors.

  • Using a photonic laser and photon-beam amplification system, Bae demonstrated that amplified thrust between two spacecraft can be achieved by bouncing photons thousands of times between them.

  • The photonic laser thruster overcomes the inefficiency of photon particles producing thrust by bouncing them many times between two mirrors. 

  • Photon particles have been considered inefficient for producing thrust because they have zero mass and no electric charge.

  • The PLT system overcomes the inherent photonic inefficiency by bouncing photons many times between two mirrors.

Bae Institute has successfully demonstrated the first photonic laser thruster, which could be used for a wide range of space applications. 

Immediate Goals 

Inclusion of PLT in a photon tether formation flight (PTFF) for controlling spacecraft flying in formation with nanometer precision. By integrating PLT and space tethers, PTFF will enable the creation of large telescopes and synthetic apertures in space for high-resolution earth or space monitoring.PTFF promises precision 100,000 times greater than existing formation flying spacecraft missions, notably the Proba-3 currently planned by the European Space Agency.

Future Trends

The thrust power requirements for a wide range of NASA spacecraft formation flight configurations, such as SPECS and MAXIM, are well within today's space power budgets.Although built on a shoestring budget, the maximum photon thrust was demonstrated to be 35 uN, which is already close to, or sufficient power for many envisioned space missions. The Bae Institute is now seeking funding to scale up and construct space flight-ready PLT systems. The PLT project is currently funded by a Phase II NIAC (NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts) grant, which funds ideas for next-generation NASA space missions.

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