We intend to utilize commercial diode arrays and a stratospheric launch platform to drive specially desgined sails to escape velocity at a fraction of the traditional cost.
A zero-pressure high-altitude balloon lifts the payload from a mobile platform.
The payload ascends to 48 km.
At this altitude, the air is near-vacuum. Drag is negligible, and optical turbulence is minimized, allowing for minimal laser transmission losses.
As the balloon moves with the wind, the mobile ground platform moves directly below.
Active wave-cancellation on the platform stabilizes the equipment using high-speed actuators.
The sail deploys from extendable beams on the pad. position for tracking is obtained through onboard signal emitter.
4-meter segmented telescope tracks the signal with sub-millimeter precision.
Once alignment is found, the laser is used on one of the onboard sails.
A battery of Diodes are used, providing around kilowatts of optical power through a fused fiber bundle.
The telescope collimates the light to lower divergences.
The sail accelerates through a privately designed special method.
The sail experiences an initial 15 g of acceleration.
In 20 minutes, the sail achieves a velocity of 10.800 m/s at an altitude of ~ 400 km
Once the sail exceeds the effective range of the beam, the laser system is cut off.
The electrical cost for a 20 minutes launch is low
(Not to scale)
The sail escapes the atmosphere fast, preventing acceleration losses by gravity.
Any form of collaboration is appreciated.