Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Time: 12:45 PM to 1:45 PM

Location: PAIS, Room 2540 and Zoom

Speaker:Dr. Claude Phipps, Founder Photonic Associates, LLC

Abstract:

In this talk we will present the basic physics behind laser ablation propulsion (LAP) and discuss applications. These include small space debris re-entry, large debris nudging to avoid predicted collisions, launching small satellites to Mars from LEO (low Earth Orbit) and direct launch to LEO from Earth. We will also briefly mention photon pressure propulsion (PPP) for instruments, the only way in which we will ever get a perspective view of our place in the universe.

Biography:

Claude Phipps earned B.S. and M.S. degrees at MIT, and a Ph.D. in plasma physics for the first laser-plasma interaction experiment at Stanford in 1972. He formed Photonic Associates, LLC in Santa Fe in 1995 to further develop laser space propulsion. He invented the "ORION" and “L’ADROIT” concepts for laser space debris re-entry and collaborated with Christophe Bonnal of CNES to develop the Just-in-time Collision Avoidance concept. He is the author of 150 refereed scientific journal publications in optics, laser applications and laser interaction theory and 172 international conference presentations. He originated and was chair of the High Power Laser Ablation (HPLA) conferences in Santa Fe from 1998 to 2022. He is author or contributor to three books on laser interaction, plus a popular science book titled No Wonder you Wonder (Springer, 2016).