Status and development trend of concept studies on laser propulsion thruster

Laser propulsion technology is one of the advanced propulsion technologies that has been paid a great deal of attention to. Of all the laser propulsion technologies, laser thruster technology is an important technology, and it is also a vital one. Based on a thoroughly research on the home and foreign literatures, the status and development trend of concept studies on laser propulsion thrusters is summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of the thrusters are pointed out．