Chercheurs

Technologie / MYRABO, LEIK N.

myrabl

Position

Associate professor of engineering physics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

Thèmes de recherche

His research interests include advanced propulsion and power technologies, hypersonic gas dynamics, energy conversion, space technology, and directed energy.

From July 1996 to Sept. 1999, he brought laser propulsion from a raw concept stage into flight reality by launching his laser lightcraft vehicle with a 10 kW military laser at White Sands Missile Range, NM - funded with just $1 million of combined USAF and NASA support. In the past 6 years, his lightcraft research has been covered in 18 television documentaries and over 70 print media articles. On 2 Dec. 2002, he was warded U.S. Patent #6488233 - "Laser Propelled Vehicle" - and listed as the sole inventor. Since his first WSMR test in July 1996, Dr. Myrabo has conducted 24 separate laser propulsion tests at the High Energy Laser Systems Test Facility in New Mexico. On 2 October 2000, sponsored under a grant from a non-profit organization, he set a new World altitude record of 71 meters - for a laser propelled vehicle in free flight.

In December 1999, he demonstrated the first vacuum photonic thrust measurements for a laser lightsail - using 5-cm diameter laser sails made from exotic carbon microtruss fabrics. These experiments employed the 100 kW LHMEL II military laser (and 7-ft by 9-ft vacuum tank) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. In Dec. 2000, he returned to the LHMEL II facility to carry out vertical wire-guided flights of more advanced laser sails - his 26th high power laser test.

Dr. Myrabo's experimental and theoretical studies are focused on innovative aeronautical, aerospace, and space flight propulsion concepts for the 21st Century and beyond. This advanced energetics research takes a long term, high-risk approach to identifying areas of potential technological breakthroughs. The primary research emphasis is on the application of beamed energy (e.g., laser, microwave, millimeter wave sources) & field propulsion engines to future airbreathing/ rocket shuttlecraft - developed for a variety of hypersonic, launch, and orbit-raising missions. These revolutionary beam-powered vehicles leave their propulsive energy source on the ground or in space, and carry minimal on-board propellant or expendable coolant. Among other promising engine concepts (i.e., compatible with beamed electromagnetic power), he has investigated pulsed detonation engines, magnetohydrodynamic slipstream accelerators, directed-energy airspikes (DEAS), various rocket-based combined cycles, rotary pulsejets, scramjets, and a unique airbreathing "Ion-Breeze" thruster.

Prix et récompenses

As a result of this laser lightsail research, he was selected as a 'semifinalist for the 2001 Discover Magazine Awards for Technological Innovation (Aerospace Prize). In July 2001, at the 37th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference in Salt Lake City, he received a 'Best technical Paper' award for "Laser initiated blast waves for launch vehicle propulsion" - along with co-authors D.G. Messitt, and F.B. Mead, Jr.

Publications

T.-S. Wang, Y.-S. Chen, J. Liu, L.N. Myrabo, and F.B. Mead, Jr., "Advanced Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcraft" the AIAA Journal of Propulsion and Power, Nov.-Dec. 2002, pp. 1129-1138.

Myrabo, L.N., "World Record Flights of Beam-Riding Rocket Lightcraft: Demonstration of 'Disruptive' Propulsion Technology," AIAA Paper N. 2001-3798, 37th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, 8-11 July 2001, Salt Lake City, UT.

T.-S. Wang, Y.-S. Chen, J. Liu, L.N. Myrabo, and F.B. Mead Jr., "Advanced Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcrafts," AIAA 2001-0648, 39th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, 8-11 January 2001, Reno, NV.

D.G. Messitt, L.N. Myrabo, and F.B. Mead Jr., "Laser Initiated Blast Wave for Launch Vehicle Propulsion," AIAA 2000-3848, 36th AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, 16-19 July 2000, Huntsville, AL.

T.-S. Wang, Y.-S. Cheng, J. Liu, L.N. Myrabo, and F.B. Mead Jr., "Performance Modeling of an Experimental Laser Propelled Lightcraft," AIAA 2000-2347, 31st AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference, 19-22 June 2000, Denver, CO.

F.B. Mead Jr., L.N. Myrabo and D.G. Messitt, "Flight and Ground Tests of a Laser-Boosted Vehicle," AIAA Paper No. 98-3735, 34th AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference & Exhibit, Cleveland, OH, 13-15 July 1998.

L.N. Myrabo, D.G. Messitt, and F.B. Mead Jr., "Ground and Flight Tests of a Laser Propelled Vehicle," AIAA Paper No. 98-1001, 36th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, Reno, NV, 12-15 Jan. 1998.

L.N. Myrabo, ., "Lightcraft Technology Demonstrator," Final Technical Report, prepared under Contract No. 2073803 for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the SDIO Laser Propulsion Program, dated 30 June 1989.

D. Walton, G. List, and L. Myrabo, "Economic Analysis of a Beam-Powered, Personalized Global Aerospace Transport System," AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE 25th Joint Propulsion Conference, 1989, paper AIAA-89-2443.

L.N. Myrabo, , "Apollo Lightcraft Project,'' Final Report, prepared for the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program, 4th Annual Summer Conference, Kennedy SFC, FL, 13-17 June 1988.

L.N. Myrabo, ., "Apollo Lightcraft Project," Final Report, prepared for the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program, 3rd Annual Summer Conference, Washington, D.C., 17-19 June 1987.

L.N. Myrabo, "The Mercury Lightcraft Concept," Proc. SDIO/DARPA Workshop on Laser Propulsion, 7-18 July 1986.

L. Myrabo and D. Ing, The Future of Flight, Baen Books, Distributed by Simon & Schuster, 1985.

L.N. Myrabo, "Advanced Beamed-Energy and Field Propulsion Concepts," BDM Corp. publication BDM/W-83-225-TR, Final Report for the California Institute of Technology and Jet Propulsion Laboratory under NASA Contract NAS7-100, Task Order No. RE-156, dated 31 May 1983.

L.N. Myrabo, "A Concept for Light-Powered Flight," AIAA/SAE/ASME 18th Joint Propulsion Conference, Cleveland, OH, 21-23 June 1982.

L. N. Myrabo, "Solar-Powered Global Air Transportation," Paper 78-698, AIAA/DGLR 13th International Electric Propulsion Conference, San Diego, CA, 25-27 April 1978.