Development of Microwave Rocket as a space mass transportation system

Komatsu, Reiji*; Fukunari, Masafumi*; Yamaguchi, Toshikazu*; Komurasaki, Kimiya*; Arakawa, Yoshihiro*; Oda, Yasuhisa; Sakamoto, Keishi; Funaki, Ikko*

In order to construct huge space infrastructures, like Space Solar Power System (SSPS), low cost space transportation systems should be applied for transportation of these infrastructures because transportation cost a will be very expensive if conventional chemical rockets are used. One of the prospective solutions is a Microwave Rocket. This rocket can use the atmospheric air as a propellant during the flight in dense atmosphere. Thrust is generated by exhaust process of the compressed air by microwave detonation. Microwave detonation is a process in which a shockwave and an ionization wave front propagate together which begins with breakdown in the air by a high power microwave beam. A key to realize Microwave Rocket transportation system is developing high performance air-breathing system. CFD calculation was conducted to get the detail information of microwave detonation. Moreover, we developed thruster with reed valves and generated impulse using gyrotron. The effect of reed valves is discussed along with the calculation result.