Effect of laser pulse repetition rate on momentum coupling coefficients

A double pulse trigger was designed，and the interval of the trigger pulse controlling the TEA laser high voltage switch could be adjusted from 5 ms to 100 ms to simulate different operating repetition rate of the TEA CO2 laser. By this means, the laser repetition rate was accurately controlled. The momentum coupling coefficients for the air-breathing mode laser propulsion were studied with a parabolic light craft model. It was found in the experiment that the momentum coupling coefficients decreased when the laser repetition rate increased, while the increment of the momentum coupling coefficients increased in unit time. The reason might be that the air as the propellant could not be supplied enough for the high laser pulse repetition rate, which would weaken the effect of the propulsion.