We intend to utilize commercial off-the-shelf 450 nm diode arrays and a stratospheric launch platform to drive ablative sails to escape velocity at a fraction of the traditional cost.
A zero-pressure high-altitude balloon lifts the payload from a mobile maritime barge.
The payload ascends to 48 km.
At this altitude, the air is near-vacuum. Drag is negligible, and optical turbulence is minimized, allowing for clear laser transmission.
As the balloon moves with the wind, the barge moves directly below.
Active wave-cancellation on the barge stabilizes the telescope against ocean waves using high-speed actuators.
The 2-meter diameter light sail deploys by extendable beams away from the balloon' circumference. An infrared LED low mass beacon on the sail pulses, providing position for tracking.
4-meter segmented telescope tracks the beacon, using a Piezo-Electric fast steering mirror to hold aim with sub-millimeter precision.
Once alignment is found, the laser can be used on one of the four sails.
A battery of ~10,000 Blue Laser Diodes are used, providing around 70 kilowatts of optical power through a fused fiber bundle.
The telescope is used to collimate the light into a 4 meters wide beam with 5 times less divergence.
The beam strikes the sail's Carbon-Doped Ablative Coating.
The laser vaporizes the back coating of the sail. The resulting gas jet generates 100x the thrust of standard solar sailing.
The 1-gram 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 laser (approx. 1,000 km), the laser system is shut off.
The electrical cost for a 20 minutes launch: <$5.
(Not to scale)
The sail clears the atmosphere in seconds, preventing gravity from slowing it down.
Integrated diode module. Mounted on the back of the telescope truss.
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laser Diodes | 10,000 | Nichia NUBM44 (7W Blue, 450nm) | $80,000 | Bulk Direct (China) |
| Optical Fiber | 40 km | 105µm/125µm Multimode Silica (bare spools) | $8,000 | Industrial Surplus |
| Fiber Ferrules | 100 | Copper/Brass tubes (For bundling 100 fibers each) | $500 | Metal Supplier |
| Epoxy | 5 Gallons | High-Temp Optical Grade | $1,000 | Industrial Supply |
| Housing | 1 | Custom welded steel frame (The Backpack) | $500 | Steel Yard |
| Subtotal | $90,000 | |||
The structure which aims and collimates the light.
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary Mirrors | 7 | 1.3m Parabolic Dish (Silver Mylar/Slumped Glass) | $10,500 | Surplus Searchlights |
| Truss Structure | 1 set | Aluminum Tubing + Fittings/Bolts | $300 | Scaffolding |
| Emitter Head | 1 | Machined Aluminum Housing + Diverging Lens | $1,000 | Machine Shop |
| FSM Stabilizer | 1 | Piezo-Electric Fast Steering Mirror (2-inch) | $2,500 | Thorlabs/Edmund |
| Subtotal | $14,300 | |||
Computerized mount for pointing the telescope.
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azimuth Fork | 1 | Welded Box-Steel (U-Yoke) | $2,000 | Steel Fabricator |
| Slewing Ring | 1 | 1.5m diameter Crane Bearing (Geared) | $1,500 | Heavy Machinery Scrap |
| Drive Motors | 2 | Industrial AC Servos + Planetary Gearbox | $2,000 | CNC Surplus |
| Elevation Piston | 2 | Hydraulic or Electric Linear Actuator (Heavy) | $1,000 | Industrial Surplus |
| Wave Platform | 1 | Steel Plates + U-Joint + 4 Fast Actuators | $1,800 | Truck Parts/Surplus |
| Slip Ring | 1 | 480V / 400A High Current Ring | $2,000 | Wind Turbine Surplus |
| Subtotal | $10,300 | |||
The power and cooling.
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Supplies | 150 | HP 1200W Server PSUs (Used/Refurb) | $3,500 | eBay / Server Scrap |
| Water Pumps | 2 | 5HP Industrial Centrifugal Pumps | $1,000 | Industrial Surplus |
| Heat Exchanger | 1 | Titanium Plate (Seawater to Fresh Water) | $2,500 | Marine Supplier |
| Rotary Union | 1 | 2-Pass Water Swivel (for cooling loop) | $1,500 | Hydraulic Supplier |
| Subtotal | $8,500 | |||
Disposable launch hardware
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balloon | 1 | Zero-Pressure High Altitude Balloon (48km) | $3,000 | Scientific Supplier |
| Lift Gas | 3 tanks | Helium | $1,000 | Gas Supplier |
| Sail Material | 1 roll | 2m Diameter Mylar + Carbon Doping (DIY) | Unspecified | Materials + Chemistry |
| Probe (ChipSat) | 1 | 100mg PCB with LED Beacon & Battery | $100 | Custom PCB Fab |
| Tracking Cam | 1 | High-Speed IR Camera (Ground Based) | $2,000 | Machine Vision Used |
| Subtotal | $6,100 | |||
Computer and electronics.
| Component | Quantity | Specs | Est. Cost | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Computer | 1 | Computer with GPU (for tracking vision) | $1,500 | Consumer Electronics |
| FPGA Board | 1 | Red Pitaya or similar (for FSM control) | $500 | Electronics Supply |
| Microcontrollers | 5 | Arduino/ESP32 (Sensors, Motors) | $100 | Electronics Supply |
| Subtotal | $2,100 | |||
| System | Cost |
|---|---|
| Laser | $90,000 |
| Telescope | $14,300 |
| Mount | $10,300 |
| Utilities | $8,500 |
| Payload | $6,300 |
| Control | $2,100 |
| Total Hardware | ~$132,000 |
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Barge Rental | ~$10,000 - $15,000 / month |
| Diesel Fuel (Generator) | ~$1,000 / day |
| Legal/FAA Filing | ~$2,000 |
Any form of collaboration is appreciated.