Green Monopropellant Thruster TRL Maturation Scaling Effort

Diode-Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPALs) have great potential for high-energy lasers. Proper design of these systems is challenging because many interrelated processes impact their performance, and critical kinetic rate coefficients are not well known. In response, our team is developing a comprehensive physics-based analysis/design tool, and experimentally determining key kinetic rate coefficients. The resulting product will be a user-friendly, high-fidelity, coupled Optical-Kinetic-Fluid-Thermal-Mechanical software package. The software will enable users to design laser systems, predict performance, conduct sensitivity analyses, and assess experimental results. During Phase I, we developed initial versions of the analysis tools, performed experiments to determine key rate constants, and performed parametric sensitivity analyses. In the Phase II and Phase IIE projects, we developed and delivered initial versions of a user-friendly, fully coupled software package and provided simulation results to demonstrate parameter sensitivities. We also performed experiments and data reduction to update kinetics parameters. In the Second Phase II project, we will continue with the custom laser software development to enhance the physics modeling capabilities, conduct additional kinetics experiments to further improve the rate constants, perform comprehensive sensitivity studies using the updated physical models, and deliver an updated software package.Approved for Public Release | 18-MDA-9710 (6 Jul 18)