Laser Propulsion

A laser propulsion experiment, involving a green laser pointer and a steel metal ball.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• laser
• physics

[roidroid]

"bump the table" propulsion experiment

[goddsonatgmail]

fake

[howitzerm777]

deshonran el honor de los verdaderos científicos, par de "#$"#$

[chilidress]

i'm pope

[madmallard11]

really?. .

[germanmcccxxxvii]

i bet those 3d glasses really helped with safety incase the lazer beam bent around and hit her in the eye

[highvoltagefeathers]

@NeithanDiniem not yet, and such a device would require an active optical correction system to counteract atmopheric distortion. It is an intriguing technology though! and laser technology has been improving.

[roidroid]

Most of the weight in rockets is fuel (typically over 90%) and most of this fuel is just used to lift the weight of more fuel!

The Lightcraft does not need any fuel at all until it's beyond the atmosphere, the weight savings are exponential.

Yeah, we will likely need arrays of lasers to get the power required. Laser technology is always improving though, getting more powerful.

[NeithanDiniem]

@roidroid I see the point about the focal point, but the craft would still weigh an undeniably large amount. I dont think that currently we have the technology to power lasers of the required intensity to create a large enough shockwave to propel a rocket into orbit.

[roidroid]

- the focal point (max heat) is not on the craft itself but in the air behind it. The air explodes, the shockwave propelling the craft.

- Who said the rocket weighs a megaton? There is not much fuel weight.

- Yes, a redesign is needed to thrust perpendicular to the incomming laser beam (to reach an orbital plane).

Not hard.

- Once beyond the atmosphere, the ground-based laser can still be used to ablatively "burn off" fuel painted onto the craft, which gives high efficiency thrust.

[NeithanDiniem]

A laser with the power to provide the necessary thrust to lift a megaton rocket into orbit would far exceed the heat generated from ignition-based engines. Also, the rocket would be required to launch literally straight up, not curve into orbit as rockets now do. This is because the laser would need to be pointed at a safe location. If the rocket curved at any point, the contact location would move. Lastly this would only work if the rocket was taking off, in orbit it would be useless.