lap_orbit_maintenance

This thesis investigates the feasibility of the usage of space-based Laser Ablation Propulsion (LAP) to perform orbit maintenance on CubeSat in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). The thesis is motivated by the growing need for efficient, compact propulsion systems for small satellites and explores LAP as a method that eliminates the need for onboard fuel by generating momentum via directed laser beams from orbital laser stations.

A detailed simulation framework is developed to model the physical environment in LEO, including atmospheric drag, solar radiation pressure, and third-body gravitational effects. The propagation of high-powered lasers through space is modeled considering diffraction, absorption, and current limits of aiming precision. The propulsion interaction between laser and CubeSat is simulated through a dynamic model based on material properties and laser beam parameters.

Power generation and energy storage are analyzed in the context of space-based constraints, comparing solar arrays, battery technologies, and their degradation over time. A financial model evaluates system-level trade-offs, including station cost, maintenance intervals, and replacement economics. Optimizations are performed to understand how propulsion efficiency, energy storage capacity, and environmental variability affect system performance and scalability.

Simulation results show that LAP is viable under current technological constraints, provided stations are deployed in sufficient numbers and at the right altitudes. The system can service a meaningful number of CubeSats while remaining competitive with the cost of satellite replacement. Technological limitations such as aiming accuracy and beam control are identified as key challenges, with recommendations for future work including the expansion of in-orbit LAP to networks, and further

applications.