NEW ENERGY CONVERSION TECHNIQUES IN SPACE, APPLICABLE TO PROPULSION

The powering of aircraft with laser energy from a solar power satellite may be a promising new approach to the critical problem of rising cost of fuel for aircraft transportation systems. The result is a nearly fuelless, pollution-free flight transportation system which is cost-competitive with the fuel-conservative airplane of the future. The major components of this flight system include a laser power satellite, relay satellites, laser-powered turbofans and a conventional airframe. The relay satellites are orbiting optical systems which intercept the beam from a power satellite and refocus and redirect the beam to its next target.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • In: NASA, Langley Research Center, Second Beamed Space-Power Workshop pp69-103. Repr. from 15th AIAA, SAE and ASME Joint Propulsion Conference, Las Vegas NV 18-20 Jun 1979.
• Corporate Authors:

  University of Washington, Seattle

  Seattle, WA  United States  98195
• Authors:
  • Hertzberg, A
  • Sun, K C
• Publication Date: 1989-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 35 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• Subject Areas: Aviation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00495236
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: AIAA-79-1338
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1990 12:00AM