 |
| The radical craft would be powered by microwave energy delivered
wirelessly to a heat exchanger on the spaceplane, via a phased array of microwave antennas located on the ground. |
BROOMFIELD,
Colo., July 17, 2015 (Escape Dynamics PR) –Escape Dynamics, Inc.
announced successful tests of their thruster powered by beamed high
power microwave energy, with performance greatly surpassing the limit of
chemical combustion rockets. Specific Impulse (or Isp) is a measure of
rocket or jet engine efficiency, much like miles-per-gallon for cars.
While chemical rockets top out at around 460s Isp, static thrust tests
conducted in the company’s lab in Colorado using helium demonstrated an
Isp above 500s. Had hydrogen been used instead of helium, the specific
impulse achieved would have been above the 600s threshold required for
single-stage-to-orbit operations of a launch vehicle, which is not
possible with chemical rockets. - See more at:
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/07/17/escape-dynamics-tests-combustion-free-externallypowered-space-launch-thruster/#sthash.HhhL6Oz7.dpuf
BROOMFIELD,
Colo., July 17, 2015 (Escape Dynamics PR) –Escape Dynamics, Inc.
announced successful tests of their thruster powered by beamed high
power microwave energy, with performance greatly surpassing the limit of
chemical combustion rockets. Specific Impulse (or Isp) is a measure of
rocket or jet engine efficiency, much like miles-per-gallon for cars.
While chemical rockets top out at around 460s Isp, static thrust tests
conducted in the company’s lab in Colorado using helium demonstrated an
Isp above 500s. Had hydrogen been used instead of helium, the specific
impulse achieved would have been above the 600s threshold required for
single-stage-to-orbit operations of a launch vehicle, which is not
possible with chemical rockets. - See more at:
http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/07/17/escape-dynamics-tests-combustion-free-externallypowered-space-launch-thruster/#sthash.HhhL6Oz7.dpuf
BROOMFIELD,
Colo., July 17, 2015 (Escape Dynamics PR) –Escape Dynamics, Inc.
announced successful tests of their thruster powered by beamed high
power microwave energy, with performance greatly surpassing the limit of
chemical combustion rockets. Specific Impulse (or Isp) is a measure of
rocket or jet engine efficiency, much like miles-per-gallon for cars.
While chemical rockets top out at around 460s Isp, static thrust tests
conducted in the company’s lab in Colorado using helium demonstrated an
Isp above 500s. Had hydrogen been used instead of helium, the specific
impulse achieved would have been above the 600s threshold required for
single-stage-to-orbit operations of a launch vehicle, which is not
possible with chemical rockets. -See more at: http://www.parabolicarc.com/2015/07/17/escape-dynamics-tests-combustion-free-externallypowered-space-launch-thruster/#sthash.HhhL6Oz7.dpuf
Space shuttle powered by MICROWAVES could be the future of space travel | Daily Mail Online
Published on May 13, 2015
Escape
Dynamics is developing the first single-stage-to-orbit, reusable launch
vehicle powered with external propulsion. In external propulsion energy
required for launch is delivered from a ground-based phased array of
microwave antennas designed to safely and efficiently beam
flight-sustaining power to the space plane during the ascent and
acceleration to orbital velocity. The energy is converted into thrust in
a heat exchanger which absorbs microwaves into heat and couples the
energy into the flow of hydrogen propellant. The heated hydrogen is
exhausted through the nozzle creating thrust and accelerating the
vehicle.
Externally powered engines designed by Escape Dynamics operate with specific impulse above 750s and propellant mass fraction below 72% (compared to almost 90% of chemical rockets) and for the first time enable reusable single-stage-to-orbit flight.
About Escape Dynamics
Escape Dynamics (EDI) is an advanced technology company developing electromagnetically-powered, reusable, single stage to orbit flight systems and is innovating in core technologies required for next generation aerospace systems such as wireless energy transfer, high power microwaves, and next generation propulsion and materials. The company was co-founded by Richard F. Schaden and a team of Caltech scientists with Dr. Dmitriy Tseliakhovich leading the way. Laetitia Garriott joint the founding team in 2014.
Learn more at www.escapedynamics.com
Externally powered engines designed by Escape Dynamics operate with specific impulse above 750s and propellant mass fraction below 72% (compared to almost 90% of chemical rockets) and for the first time enable reusable single-stage-to-orbit flight.
About Escape Dynamics
Escape Dynamics (EDI) is an advanced technology company developing electromagnetically-powered, reusable, single stage to orbit flight systems and is innovating in core technologies required for next generation aerospace systems such as wireless energy transfer, high power microwaves, and next generation propulsion and materials. The company was co-founded by Richard F. Schaden and a team of Caltech scientists with Dr. Dmitriy Tseliakhovich leading the way. Laetitia Garriott joint the founding team in 2014.
Learn more at www.escapedynamics.com
Microwave Power Beaming May Launch Space Planes into Orbit - IEEE Spectrum
The new spacecraft’s answer to conventional rockets’ fuel tanks is a big tank of hydrogen. And rather than extracting the hydrogen’s energy via a continuous controlled explosion like a conventional rocket does, Escape Dynamics is heating the hydrogen directly using a heat exchanger powered wirelessly by microwaves. Essentially, the spaceplane acts as a big microwave absorber targeted by a bunch of highly focused microwave emitters located on the ground. The microwaves heat the spaceplane, which heats the hydrogen, which gets fired out the back to provide thrust.
The key here is efficiency: Since everything that the spaceplane is carrying is pure propellant mass, and the energy is being transmitted from the ground, you get a lot more oomph. Specifically, Escape Dynamics is talking about specific impulse (for rockets what liters per 100 kilometers or miles per gallon is for cars) somewhere between 600 and 750 seconds (or better) with a propellant mass of around 75 percent, as opposed to about 90 percent for a conventional rocket.
From the sound of things, this launch system isn’t intended for heavy lifting. The maximum payload that it’ll be taking into orbit is just 200 kg. And the development won’t be cheap, either. It’s estimated that it will require about a billion dollars to take the project from its current state to a prototype spaceplane in orbit. The immediate next steps for Escape Dynamics researchers are: seeing if they can use microwaves to power an engine over a few hundred meters outdoors, and then attempting microwave-powered drone flights. As for the spaceplane itself, if everything goes according to plan (which nothing ever does), it could enter orbit as early as 2020.
Related/Background
- spendergast: Space Solar Power Initiative Established by NGC at Caltech with $17.5M Grant
- Patent US3891160 - Microwave powered reusable orbiting space tug - Google Patents
- Patent US3114517 - Microwave operated space vehicles - Google Patents
- IEEE Xplore Abstract - An in-space wireless energy transmission experiment
- Advanced Space Propulsion for the 21st Century (AIAA)
- Spacecraft Propulsion - Springer
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