Purpose: The purpose of this program is to demonstrate the feasibility of increasing the payload to thrust ration by continuously injecting energy into a remotely located propulsion system using a laser. A future extrapolation of this technique could result in propulsion systems capable of Isp in excess of 1000. Approach: The demonstration will be conducted in Alabama Laser Technology's facility in Munford, Alabama, using a one 3kw CO2 laser. The laser will illuminate a graphite target in a pulsejet, at approximately 230 Hz. This energy will then be used to accelerate the working fluid to demonstrate the conversion of energy to thrust. Demonstration Set-Up: A 5# pulsejet will be mounted in a HARC Corporation fixture capable of providing fuel and air to the pulsejet, with instrumentation to measure fuel and airflow, and thrust. The pulsejet will be started using a conventional combination of fuel/air. Then, the laser will be turned on illuminating the graphite receptor. This will reradiate the energy into the combustion chamber. Then the fuel flow will be reduced as the laser-transmitted energy replaces chemically released energy. Parameters will be recorded, time-correlated and the results analyzed. The results will be validated and verified by Aerojet General Corp. POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS Economical methods of launching commercial minisatellites to low earth orbit (leo)
