Leik Myrabo
Encyclopedia
Leik Myrabo is an aerospace engineering professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
who has demonstrated the feasibility of using ground-based laser
s to propel objects into orbit
; possibly reducing orbit-flight costs by a factor of 1000.
" design is a reflective funnel-shaped craft that channels heat from the laser, towards the center, causing it to literally explode the air underneath it, generating lift. This method, however is dependent entirely on the laser's power, and even the most powerful models currently can only serve for modest test purposes. To keep the craft stable, a small jet of pressurized nitrogen spins the craft at 6,000 revolutions per minute. Lightcraft were limited to paper studies until about 1996, when Myrabo and Air Force scientist Franklin Mead began trying them out.
The first tests succeeded in reaching over 100 feet, which compares to Robert Goddard's first test flight of his rocket
design.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
who has demonstrated the feasibility of using ground-based laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
s to propel objects into orbit
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
; possibly reducing orbit-flight costs by a factor of 1000.
Research
Professor Myrabo first had the idea for laser-propelled Lightcraft in the early 1980s, while working on "Star Wars" anti-missile technology. In 1985 he co-wrote, with SF author Dean Ing, a popularization of this and other unconventional propulsion concepts in "The Future of Flight", published by Baen. Myrabo's "lightcraftLightcraft
A lightcraft is a space- or air-vehicle driven by laser propulsion. Laser propulsion is currently in early stages of development. Lightcraft use an external source of laser or maser energy to provide power for producing thrust. The laser/maser energy is focused to a high intensity in order to...
" design is a reflective funnel-shaped craft that channels heat from the laser, towards the center, causing it to literally explode the air underneath it, generating lift. This method, however is dependent entirely on the laser's power, and even the most powerful models currently can only serve for modest test purposes. To keep the craft stable, a small jet of pressurized nitrogen spins the craft at 6,000 revolutions per minute. Lightcraft were limited to paper studies until about 1996, when Myrabo and Air Force scientist Franklin Mead began trying them out.
The first tests succeeded in reaching over 100 feet, which compares to Robert Goddard's first test flight of his rocket
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
design.