Laser Propulsion: The Early Years

The early years of laser propulsion were driven by the vision of Arthur Kantrowitz and his team of researchers at the Avco Everett Research Laboratory. The pioneering research continued during the 1970s both at Avco and Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), a company founded by Avco scientists. This paper presents the results of the experimental and theoretical research that was the precursor for much of the work that was done in the 1980s and 1990s. The successes are presented as well as the failures, and the enthusiasm of the early days is discussed, as well as the matching realization that the limiting factors for progress in the 1970s were the progress in laser development and the identification of missions for such systems. All this set the stage for research activities of the 1980s that were carried out by subsequent believers of the Kantrowitz vision.