Abstract: The parameters of laser and propellants are the main factors affecting the propulsion performance of laser chemical micro-propulsion. The thickness of propellant is an important experimental parameter under T-mode. Hence, the propulsion performances of complex double-base propellants with different thickness are studied experimentally. The experimental results show that the momentum coupling coefficient increases with the incease in thickness of propellant while the specific impulse reduces on the contrary. The effect of laser power density on the release of chemical energy is studied. When a semiconductor laser with the power of 1.80 W and the double-base propellant are used, the momentum coupling coefficient and specific impulse are 130.8 dyne/W and 493.0 s, respectively, while the laser energy coefficient is 316.4%, which is 6.46 times better than that of PVC propellant without the release of chemical energy.

Key words: propulsion system of aviation and aerospace, laser chemical micro-propulsion, ablation mode, momentum coupling coefficient, specific impulse