Gas-Breathing Laser Propulsion

Abstract

Survey and prospects of laser propulsion technology in which a launched object breathes either ambient or tube-filled gas are presented. The technology utilizes repetitive laser pulses, and is subdivided to bell-, lightcraftand in-tube-types. Ablation of liquid or solid can enhance its thrust performance. Unsteady fluid dynamics in its impulse production processes involves jet formation due to Munroe effect, Rayleigh-Taylor and Richtmyer Meshkov instabilities, thereby warranting further basic and applied investigations.