Space debris de-orbiting by vaporization impulse using short pulse laser

摘要

Space debris constitutes a significant hazard to low earth orbit satellites and particularly to manned spacecraft. A quite small velocity decrease from vaporization impulses is enough to lower the perigee of the debris sufficiently for atmospheric drag to de-orbit the debris. A short pulse (picoseconds) laser version of the Orion concept can accomplish this task in several years of operation The "Mercury" short pulse Yb:S-FAP laser being enveloped at LLNL for laser fusion is appropriate for this task.