抄録
A scheme of laser propulsion using a heat exchange principle has been proposed. The scheme uses pressure of vaporized water (condensing steam nuclei) or other safe propellants and significantly reduces the complexity and technical hurdles of both engine structure and laser system compared to other laser propulsion schemes such as one utilizing laser ablation. In the proposed scheme, laser power is used for vaporization and overheating water molecule. To realize the scheme, CW-CO2 laser is adopted as a power source. This pap>Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, er describes the experimental characterization of laser radiation interaction with water vapor on which our thruster model design is based.
