Laser-propulsion could give space rockets a serious boost

Russian scientists have proposed a novel way to accelerate a spaceship while in flight – firing a ground-based laser up its backside. The new technique uses a plasma flow caused by laser ablation to increase the exhaust efficiency of a traditional rocket propulsion system, and could theoretically accelerate an aircraft beyond Mach 10.

In the process called laser ablation, a super high powered, focused laser beam can strike the surface of an object in space, and burn off that surface material, producing a plume of charged plasma particles that generates thrust.

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I wonder if solid fuel could be used instead of bunring the metal of the rocker

the solid fuel would be contained within a chamber and the ground laser fires directly at the solid fuel

Pretty sure that’s not new.

Spiny Norman said:

Pretty sure that’s not new.

It’s a long way from new. I remember reading the suggestion – and reasons why it won’t work – in a book written more than twenty years ago about the human race’s move off this planet. I think the book was called The Millennium Project, but I can’t find it online. I know it’s been updated and republished since its first appearance (in about 1990).

nsstc.uah.edu/essa/docs/iac/Bergstue-Grant-IAC-11.C4.8.2.x11495.pdf

> Russian scientists have proposed a novel way to accelerate a spaceship while in flight – firing a ground-based laser up its backside.

Not new.

Here’s one http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightcraft
And on Youtube

Perhaps I should also add that:

I designed a similar system using the heat from an extremely high temperature nuclear reactor to power a laser for interstellar travel.
Laser-propulsion powered spacecraft proposals appeared as soon as lasers were invented, before that the proposals were for light-powered spacecraft.
R.L. Forward designed a solar sail interstellar spacecraft powered by a solar-system based laser. This craft could decelerate at the far end without without turning around and without any onboard propulsion source.

impractical I’m afraid

as things stand skylon looks like the more reasonable approach to cheap spacetravel

the other approach might be an airship that docks with another airship in the upper atmosphere and spacecraft take off and land on the airship, like an aerial aircraft carrier

the aerial aircraft carrier would have to be enormous though and have to sit much higher than one would normally expect

the craft landing and taking off would be designed more as spacecraft than aircraft

fuel for the spacecraft would be transported by airship to the carrier

wookiemeister said:

impractical I’m afraid

as things stand skylon looks like the more reasonable approach to cheap spacetravel

Impractical within the solar system, yes. But laser propulsion has always been a leading contender for inter-stellar robotic travel. The main limitation on laser propulsion for interstellar travel has always been political – expecting the political system that funds the laser operation to be stable for more than 5,000 years is a big ask.

mollwollfumble said:

wookiemeister said:

impractical I’m afraid

as things stand skylon looks like the more reasonable approach to cheap spacetravel

Impractical within the solar system, yes. But laser propulsion has always been a leading contender for inter-stellar robotic travel. The main limitation on laser propulsion for interstellar travel has always been political – expecting the political system that funds the laser operation to be stable for more than 5,000 years is a big ask.

How does that work?

Where do you put the laser?