A Study into the Use of Laser Retroreflectors on a Small Satellite - M.Unwin
Jim Choate
ravage at ssz.com
Tue Jul 24 16:30:38 PDT 2001
And these are reasonably low power lasers...
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/SSC/IJSSE/issue1/unwin/unwin.html
The simple fact is that the thermodynamic impact of a laser beam that is
several feet across and emitting more photons than the surface of the sun
will not be easy to reflect unless immense cooling is taken. Cost/weight
factors alone argue it in the negative.
Remember, that laser is hotter than the surface of the sun area for area.
You'll need cooling systems comparible to the aircraft carrying the laser
(consider the cooling of the main or final steering mirror alone in aircraft
weight). Even the finest mirrors will not stand up to that uncooled, and
even then not for long. Consider the expansive impact on the cryogenic fuel
components. How much are they over-rated?
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____________________________________________________________________
Nature and Nature's laws lay hid in night:
God said, "Let Tesla be", and all was light.
B.A. Behrend
The Armadillo Group ,::////;::-. James Choate
Austin, Tx /:'///// ``::>/|/ ravage at ssz.com
www.ssz.com .', |||| `/( e\ 512-451-7087
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