Laser air-breathing jet engine

A report is given of a theoretical and experimental study of the problem of vehicle propulsion in the earth's atmosphere under the action of shock waves produced as a result of CO₂-laser-induced optical breakdown of air. It is shown that there are certain optimal conditions for the transfer of pressure impulses to receivers. Conical and parabolic receivers are used as an example to show that there are maximum values of the specific impulse (also known as the coupling coefficient). The experimentally obtained specific impulse values ~500 μN·sec·J^–1 are close to the maximum values deduced from the point explosion theory. Realization of motion of a parabolic reflector in a glass tube is reported for a pulse-periodic regime of laser emission with an average power of ~25W. The thrust obtained is reported.