CW Laser Propulsion with Porous Carbon Heat Exchanger

Abstract

A new Continuous Wave (CW) laser propulsion system using porous carbon as a heat exchanger is experimentally studied. The propellant receives the heat from heated porous carbon absorbing CW laser and becomes high pressure in the chamber of the thruster. The thruster obtains propulsive force by emitting hot and high-pressure gas through its nozzle. In this experiment, we used the 4 kW CW fiber laser, helium gas as propellant gas. We found that pressure in the chamber and thrust increased by laser heating and it was possible to raise the stagnation temperature to 1523 K.