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The idea of ​​using a ground-based laser station to launch a spacecraft was born in the 1970s and was proposed by former Soviet scientists and American scientists. The main principle is that after a certain laser or a substance is irradiated with a powerful laser beam, a local explosion phenomenon occurs, and a powerful shock wave generated by the explosion can be used as a power source of the propeller. A spacecraft equipped with a laser engine is like a fast-moving sailing ship. There is no extra part except the "mast" and "sail". In 1997, American scientists successfully launched a spacecraft for the first time with the help of a laser engine.
The spacecraft experimental device using lasers studied in Russia has a simple and unique structure in which two mirrors are used in order to make the spacecraft fly against the beam forever, and at the same time, the beam will not be on the evaporation material in such a structure. Scattering occurs. The first mirror is like a polished apex device. After the beam is directed, it reflects and focuses on the second mirror. The second mirror is placed over most of the apex mirror, focusing the collected light into a dark room containing vaporized material. The evaporating material is heated and expanded under the action of the laser beam, propelling the spacecraft to fly.
In the three-year test work, the researchers first used liquid fuel as the evaporation material, but the effect was poor. Later, solid fuel was used as the evaporation material, and the effect of polyoxymethylene was found to be the best, while the effect of using polyvinyl chloride was 30% lower, and the effect of polycarbonate was smaller.
The spacecraft developed by Russia using a laser propeller is very small. The second mirror is only 20 cm in diameter and weighs 20 grams. In the experiment, the spacecraft was driven by a 5 kW laser at a speed of 3 to 4 meters per second, and the laser converted power reached 1.5 Newtons. It is reported that the project has been funded by the International Science and Technology Center and the National Aerospace Laboratory of Japan.
Russian researchers believe that it takes at least 1 megawatt of power to use a laser to launch a spacecraft into orbit. Many countries are now developing such lasers. Who was the first to develop, who will be the first country to use a laser to launch a spacecraft. The cost of developing a laser engine spacecraft is much lower than using a nuclear power engine. However, the placement of laser stations in space is already part of the anti-missile air defense system and will attract the attention of the international community.
Russia develops laser thrusters for launching spacecraft
The St. Petersburg Photoelectric Instrumentation Comprehensive Experimental Institute successfully developed a laser thruster experimental device for launching spacecraft. The advantage of a laser engine is that the power source is on the ground or in orbit. The spacecraft will not need to carry a large amount of engine fuel that exceeds its own weight. At the same time, when using a laser engine to launch a spacecraft, it will not pollute the environment because it only burns a small amount of oxygen. It is easy to adjust the orbit of the satellite by means of the laser station, and it is easy to protect the spacecraft from collision with space debris and to destroy space debris.