Laser-powered propulsion system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRobert J. Budica, James S. Herzberg, Frank O. Chandler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A propulsion apparatus includes a propellant, at least one laser, and a thrust member. The propellant includes a solid surface having a hollow core disposed within the solid surface and a thrust-producing medium disposed within the hollow core. The at least one laser is positioned to vaporize the propellant with at least one laser-beam into a thrust-producing flow. The thrust member is for flowing within the thrust member a thrust-producing flow created by vaporization of the propellant.
Claims29
A propulsion apparatus comprising:
- a propellant comprising:
- a solid surface comprising a hollow core disposed within the solid surface and a thrust-producing medium disposed within the hollow core;
- a thrust member comprising a cavity;
- at least one laser positioned to vaporize the propellant with at least one laser-beam into a thrust-producing flow within the cavity;
- and
- a portion of the thrust member which bounds the cavity, the portion of the thrust member configured to reflect the thrust-producing flow created by vaporization of the propellant, the portion of the thrust member containing a material which undergoes fast neutron fission and energy release upon being contacted by fast neutrons from the propellant.
An aircraft laser propulsion system comprising:
- an aircraft comprising:
- a propellant having a solid surface comprising a hollow core disposed within the solid surface and a thrust-producing medium disposed within the hollow core;
- a thrust member comprising a cavity;
- a laser having a laser beam positioned to vaporize the propellant into a thrust-producing flow within the cavity;
- and
- a portion of the thrust member which bounds the cavity, the portion of the thrust member configured to reflect the thrust-producing flow created by vaporization of the propellant, the portion of the thrust member containing a material which undergoes fast neutron fission and energy release upon being contacted by fast neutrons from the propellant.
A method of propulsion comprising:
- vaporizing a propellant with at least one laser-beam, produced by at least one laser, into a thrust-producing flow within a cavity of a thrust member, the propellant comprising a solid surface, a hollow core disposed within the solid surface, and a thrust-producing medium disposed within the hollow core;
- reflecting the thrust-producing flow, created by vaporization of the propellant, off a portion of the thrust member which bounds the cavity to provide propulsion;
- and
- contacting a material contained within the portion of the thrust member by fast neutrons from the propellant to cause the material to undergo fast neutron fission and energy release.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.