Orbital transfer from LEO to GEO using beam power from the ground was first suggested in 1979, and a number of papers on the subject have been published since then. It is shown here that low thrust reusable orbital transfer vehicles with high descent and optimized ascent specific impulses are especially effective compared to conventional systems. They promise to permit the use of larger payloads and/or smaller launch vehicles, and the low specific mass and high power which are key to acceptable transit times can be achieved with laser-powered electric propulsion.

Date Published: 26 April 1995
PDF: 10 pages
Proc. SPIE 2376, Laser Power Beaming II, (26 April 1995); doi: 10.1117/12.208203

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2376:
Laser Power Beaming II
Harold E. Bennett; Richard D. Doolittle, Editor(s)