UC Santa Barbara Laser Propulsion

Input Parameters
Payload (kg)
Use Optimal Sail
Use Square Sail
Use Circular Sail
Use Spherical Sail
Sail Diameter (m)
Sail Thickness (μm)
Sail Density (g/cm³)
Sail Reflection Efficiency (0 - 1)
Sail Absorption of Light not Reflected (0 - 1)
Sail Front Emissivity (0 - 1)
Sail Back Emissivity (0 - 1)
Use Circular Laser Array
Laser Array Side Length (m)
Total Optical Power (GW)
Beam Efficiency (0 - 1)
Wavelength (nm)
Electrical Efficiency (0 - 1)
Electrical Energy Cost ($/kW-hr)
Energy Storage Cost ($/W-hr)
Peak Laser Comm Power (W)
Photons Per Bit for Communication (ph/bit)
Laser Comm Wavelength (nm)
Laser Comm Beam Efficiency (0 - 1)
Use Circular Comm Optics
Spacecraft Laser Comm Optical Size (m)
Target Distance (ly)

Non Relativistic Output
Sail Mass	1.00 g
Total Mass	2.00 g
Areal Density	1.00 g/m²
Laser Power in Main Beam	100 GW
Flux on Sail	100 GW/m²
Total Force on Sail	667 N
Peak Sail Pressure	667 Pa	0.0968 psi
Peak Acceleration	3.34e+5 m/s²	3.40e+4 g_n
L₀	0.0258 au	3.87e+6 km
Time to L₀	0.00176 d	152 s
Speed at L₀	5.08e+4 km/s	16.9 % c
Kinetic Energy at L₀	0.716 GW*hr	2.58e+12 J
Laser Energy in Main Beam at L₀	4.23 GW*hr	1.52e+13 J
Electrical Energy at L₀	4.23 GW*hr	1.52e+13 J
Launch Efficiency at L₀ (KE / Electrical Energy)	16.9 %
Electrical Energy Cost at L₀	4.23e+5 $
Energy Storage Cost at L₀	4.23e+8 $
Limiting Speed	7.18e+4 km/s	24.0 % c
Time to Target at Limiting Speed	18.3 yr
Max Flux Absorbed by Sail	0.00 GW/m²
Max Power Absorbed by Sail	0.00 GW
Sail Equilibrium Temperature	0.00 K
Laser Comm Flux at Earth	0.000824 ph s^-1m^-2
Equivalent Photometric Magnitude m_v	33.9
Laser Comm Rate Received in Array	8.24e+4 ph/s
Laser Comm Bit Rate Received in Array	8.24e+4 bits/s
Laser Comm Wavelength at Speed at L0	712 nm
Laser Comm Wavelength at Limiting Speed	766 nm

Relativistic Output
Sail Mass	1.00 g
Total Mass	2.00 g
Areal Density	1.00 g/m²
Laser Power in Main Beam	100 GW
Flux on Sail	100 GW/m²
Total Force on Sail	667 N
Peak Sail Pressure	667 Pa	0.0968 psi
Peak Acceleration	3.34e+5 m/s²	3.40e+4 g_n
L₀	0.0258 au	3.87e+6 km
Time to L₀	0.00208 d	180 s
Speed at L₀	4.53e+4 km/s	15.1 % c
Kinetic Energy at L₀	0.580 GW*hr	2.09e+12 J
Laser Energy in Main Beam at L₀	5.00 GW*hr	1.80e+13 J
Electrical Energy at L₀	5.00 GW*hr	1.80e+13 J
Launch Efficiency at L₀ (KE / Electrical Energy)	11.6 %
Electrical Energy Cost at L₀	5.00e+5 $
Energy Storage Cost at L₀	5.00e+8 $
Limiting Speed	6.11e+4 km/s	20.4 % c
Time to Target at Limiting Speed	21.5 yr
Max Flux Absorbed by Sail	0.00 GW/m²
Max Power Absorbed by Sail	0.00 GW
Sail Equilibrium Temperature	0.00 K
Laser Comm Flux at Earth	0.000824 ph s^-1m^-2
Equivalent Photometric Magnitude m_v	33.9
Laser Comm Rate Received in Array	8.24e+4 ph/s
Laser Comm Bit Rate Received in Array	8.24e+4 bits/s
Laser Comm Wavelength at Speed at L0	699 nm
Laser Comm Wavelength at Limiting Speed	738 nm