Laser powered, air breathing, open-cycle heat engines

A method of powering an open-cycle heat engine by a remote laser, using ambient air obtained exclusively from the engine environment, as its working fluid, comprising the steps of:

• generating optical radiation with a remote laser, said remote laser fires a pulsed output;
• directing said optical radiation onto a solid absorber;
• inputting a volume of ambient air from the engine environment into said open-cycle heat engine, said pulsed output is synchronized with a mechanical cycle of said open cycle heat engine;
• and
• directing said ambient air into a heat exchanger that is in thermal contact with said solid absorber, said ambient air is heated to expand and perform mechanical work through said open-cycle heat engine, said volume of inputted air is released after use, said ambient air receiving heat only from said heat exchanger, not absorbing laser radiation directly, not participating in any heat-generating chemical reaction and not converted to a plasma state.