초록 ▼

Provided is a laser propelled craft having a) a forebody or nose, b) a tapering parabolic afterbody optic or mirror, c) a shroud mounted therebetween and extending aft to define an annular space around a portion of the afterbody near its base and d) means to transmit a pulsed laser beam toward the l

Provided is a laser propelled craft having a) a forebody or nose, b) a tapering parabolic afterbody optic or mirror, c) a shroud mounted therebetween and extending aft to define an annular space around a portion of the afterbody near its base and d) means to transmit a pulsed laser beam toward the laser craft and afterbody optic and thence to focus into the annular shroud. The laser beam is pulsed to heat and pressurize the air in the annular space to expand same and propel such craft, the afterbody and shroud being so shaped as to self center or remain in the laser beam as the craft is propelled thereby. Such craft, which is spin-stablized, can also carry a fuel insert ring mounted in the shroud around the afterbody, to be ablated by the laser beam at a desired altitude, so as to transition from an air breathing craft to a rocket craft, when the atmospheric density becomes too low, e.g., at 30 km altitude so that the lasercraft can thereafter be propelled into, e.g., low earth orbit.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A laser propelled craft comprising:a) a forebody or nose, b) a tapering parabolic afterbody optic, wherein the parabolic afterbody shape is defined by y2=4fDx, where x is the axis of the parabola, y is the radial distance of a point (x,y) from the x axis, p is the focal point of such parabola, D

1. A laser propelled craft comprising:a) a forebody or nose, b) a tapering parabolic afterbody optic, wherein the parabolic afterbody shape is defined by y2=4fDx, where x is the axis of the parabola, y is the radial distance of a point (x,y) from the x axis, p is the focal point of such parabola, D is the diameter of the base of the parabola and f=p/D, c) an annular shroud mounted therebetween and extending aft to define an annular space around a portion of said afterbody and d) means to transmit a pulsed laser beam toward said craft and said afterbody optic and thence into said annular shroud to heat and pressurize the air in said annular space to an expanding plasma to propel said craft, said afterbody and shroud being so shaped as to remain in said laser beam as said craft is propelled thereby.