Status of the Study on Single Pulse Energy Characteristics of Air-Breathing Laser Propulsion

An incident laser energy exerts a direct influence on the propulsion performance in an air-breathing mode of repetitive pulse laser propulsion. Based on an intensive research of the international literature, the status of study on a single pulse energy characteristic for an air-breathing laser propulsion was summarized. The relationship between the impulse coupling coefficient and the pulse energy was studied and some unresolved problems pointed out, which provided some valuable information for further investigation on multi-pulse performance for air-breathing laser propulsion.