Leik Myrabo is an

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astrona ...

engineering professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who retired from there in 2011.Inside Rensselaer, May 20, 2011: Faculty Celebrated at Recognition Dinner
accessed 2012-09-26 He made the first demonstrations of the use of ground-based

laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The fir ...

s to propel objects, lifting them hundreds of feet. His goal was to use ground-based

s to propel objects into

orbit In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...

; possibly reducing orbit-flight costs by large factors.

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 "

lightcraft The Lightcraft is a space- or air-vehicle driven by beam-powered propulsion, the energy source powering the craft being external. It was conceptualized by aerospace engineering professor Leik Myrabo at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1976, ...

" design is a reflective funnel-shaped craft that channels heat from the laser, towards the center, causing it to literally

explode An explosion is a rapid expansion in volume associated with an extreme outward release of energy, usually with the generation of high temperatures and release of high-pressure gases. Supersonic explosions created by high explosives are known ...

the

air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing f ...

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 A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entirely fr ...

design. In 2000, a new flight record was set with a flight lasting 10.5 seconds and reaching 72 meters (236 feet).Approaching Warp Speed: Advanced Space Propulsion
, NewSpace 2010 conference panel discussion, 2010-07-25, Lightcraft segment, Leik Myrabo - Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, ''Spacevidcast'' video, at time 10:00-32:00, accessed 2010-07-30.

External links

Prof. Leik Myrabo at Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteCNN Special Report on Myrabo's workThe Space Show - Dr. Leik Myrabo

References

21st-century American engineers Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{US-engineer-stub

Research

See also

External links

References