Leik N. Myrabo Associate Professor 4004 Jonsson Engineering Center Tel: (518) 276-6545; Fax: (518) 276-2623; E-Mail: myrabl@rpi.edu [ MANE || Faculty ]

Leik N. Myrabo received his B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University in 1968, and attained his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics from the University of California at San Diego in 1976.
Thereafter, he spent a total of seven years at Physical Sciences, Inc., W.J. Schafer Associates, and the BDM Corporation, pursuing “Star Wars” research as a staff scientist and consultant on directed energy applications, aerospace systems, space prime power, and advanced propulsion. He joined the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute faculty in 1983.

For the past three decades, Myrabo’s burning desire has been to create and demonstrate viable concepts for non-chemical propulsion of future flight vehicles for an era beyond oil.

Research Interests and Activities:

 Advanced space propulsion & power, aerospace systems, directed energy, hypersonic gas dynamics, energy conversion, space technology, alternative energy. Myrabo’s experimental and theoretical studies are focused on alternative (non-chemical) energy sources for aeronautical, aerospace, and space flight propulsion of the 21st century and beyond.  This advanced energetics research takes a long term, high risk approach to identifying areas of potential technological breakthroughs. His primary research emphasis is on the application of Beamed Energy Propulsion (BEP) with laser, microwave, or millimeter wave sources, in developing future air-breathing and rocket shuttlecraft for a variety of hypersonic boost-glide, space launch, and orbit-raising missions. 

These revolutionary beam-powered vehicles leave their propulsive energy sources on the ground or in space, and carry minimal on-board reaction mass and/or expendable coolant.  Among other promising engine cycles (i.e., BEP-compatible), he is investigating pulsed detonation thrusters, magneto-hydrodynamic slipstream accelerators, Directed-Energy AirSpikes (DEAS), various rocket-based combined cycles, rotary pulsejets, scramjets, and a unique variety of air-breathing “ion-breeze” thruster.

Dr. Myrabo’s research relies on a combined experimental/ theoretical/ numerical investigative approach. His current MURI project investigates the propulsion physics of high power laser-beam launched nanosatellites (i.e., 1 to 10 kg) for affordable, rapid access to space. Myrabo has authored and co-authored more than 210 journal, symposium, and conference articles, and one book—The Future of Flight. His second book—The Lightcraft Technical Manual—is nearing completion.

Selected Recent Publications:

1. Myrabo, L.N., “Microwave Power-Beaming Infrastructure for Manned Lightcraft Operations,” 4th International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by K. Komurasaki, T. Yabe, S. Uchida, and A. Sasoh, AIP Proceedings 830, New York: American Institute of Physics, 651-662 (2006).
2. Gross, D.A., and Myrabo, L.N., “Metal Matrix Superconductor Composites for SMES-Driven, Ultra High Power BEP Applications: Parts 1 & 2,” 4th International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by K. Komurasaki, T. Yabe, S. Uchida, and A. Sasoh, AIP Proceedings 830, New York: American Institute of Physics, 411-436 (2006).
3. Myrabo, L.N., “Horizon Mission: 2025 Space Command’s Ultra-Energetic Lightcraft with Super-Pressure Airship Structure,” 3rd International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by A.V. Pakhomov and L.N. Myrabo, AIP Proceedings 766, NY: American Institute of Physics, 86-99 (2005).
4. Myrabo, L.N., Knowles, T.R., Bagford, J.O., and Siebert, D.B., “Experimental Investigation of Laser-Pushed Light Sails in a Vacuum,” High-Power Laser Ablation III, edited by Claude R. Phipps, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4065 (2000) pp. 521-532.
5. Myrabo, L.N., Knowles, T.R., Bagford, J.O., Seibert, D.B., and Harris, H.M., “Laser-Boosted Light Sail Experiments with the 150 kW LHMEL II CO2 Laser,” High-Power Laser Ablation IV, edited by Claude R. Phipps, Proceedings of SPIE Vol. 4760 (2002) pp. 774-798.
6. Myrabo, L.N., Messitt, D.G., and Mead Jr., F.B., "Ground and Flight Tests of a Laser Propelled Vehicle," AIAA #98-1001, 36th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, Reno, NV, 12-15 Jan. 1998. 
7. Mead Jr., F.B., Myrabo, L.N., and Messitt, D.G., "Flight and Ground Tests of a Laser-Boosted Vehicle," AIAA #98-3735, 34th AIAA Joint Propulsion Conf. & Exhibit,  Cleveland, OH, 13-15 July 1998.
8. Messitt, D.G., Myrabo, L.N., and Mead Jr., F.B., "Laser Initiated Blast Wave for Launch Vehicle Propulsion," AIAA #00-3848, 36th AIAA Joint Propulsion Conference, 16-19 July 2000, Huntsville, AL. (AIAA-JPC Best Paper Award)
9. Myrabo, L.N., “Brief History of the Lightcraft Technology Demonstrator (LTD) Project,” Review of Laser Engineering, 34, 423-428 (2006).
10. Libeau, M., and Myrabo, L., “Off-Axis and Angular Impulse Measurements on a Lightcraft Engine,” 3rd International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by A.V. Pakhomov and L.N. Myrabo, AIP Proceedings 766, New York: American Institute of Physics, 166-177 (2005).
11. Libeau, M.A., Myrabo, L.N., and Filippelli, M., “Combined Experimental & Theoretical Flight Dynamics Investigation of a Laser-Propelled Vehicle,” 1st International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by A.V. Pakhomov, AIP Proceedings 664, New York, American Institute of Physics, 125-137 (2003).
12. Ballard, C.G., Anderson, K.S., and Myrabo, L.N., “Flight Dynamics Simulation of Lightcraft Propelled by Laser Ablation,” Paper 6261-74, High-Power Laser Ablation VI,edited by Claude R. Phipps, Proc. of SPIE Vol. 6261, 2006.
13. Myrabo, L.N., Libeau, M.A., Meloney, E.D., Bracken, R., and Knowles, T.B., “Survivability of Thin Metal Mirror Coatings on Graphite Pulsed Laser Propulsion Engines,” AIAA #02-3783, 38th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Indianapolis, IN, 7-10 July 2002.
14. Myrabo, L.N., and Raizer, Y.P, “Laser-Induced Air Spike for Advanced Transatmospheric Vehicles,” AIAA #94-2451, AIAA, Washington, DC, 1994.
15. Marsh, J.J., Myrabo L.N., Messitt, D.G., Nagamatsu, H.T., and Raizer, Yu.P., "Experimental Investigation of the AirSpike Hypersonic Inlet at Mach 10,"  AIAA #96-0721, AIAA, Wash., D.C., 1996.
16. Myrabo, L.N., Raizer, Yu.P., and Shneider, M.N., “The Calculation and Similarity Theory of Experiment Simulating the Air-Spike Effect in Hypersonic Aerodynamics,” High Temperature, 36, n.2, 287-292 (1998).
17. Myrabo, L.N., Raizer, Yu.P., Shneider, M.N., and Bracken, R.M., “Drag and Total Power Reduction for Artificial Heat Input in Front of Hypersonic Blunt Bodies,” High Temperature, 42, n. 6, 1-9 (2004).
18. Misiewicz, C., Myrabo, L.N., Shneyder, M. and Raizer, Y.P., “Combined Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Electric-Arc Airspikes for Blunt Body at Mach 3,” 3rd International Symposium on Beamed Energy Propulsion, edited by A.V. Pakhomov and L.N. Myrabo, AIP Proceedings 766, New York: American Institute of Physics, 528-550 (2005).
19. Minucci, M.A.S, Toro, P.G.P., Oliveira, A.C., Chanes Junior, J.B., Ramos, A.G., Pereira, A.L., Nagamatsu, H.T., and Myrabo, L.N., “Investigation of a Laser-Supported Directed Energy Air Spike in Hypersonic Flow,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, 40, n. 1, 133-136 (2003).
20. Lyons, P.W., Myrabo, L.N., Jones, R.A., Nagamatsu, H.T., and Manka, C., “Experimental Investigation of a Unique Airbreathing Pulsed Laser Propulsion Concept,” AIAA 27th Joint Propulsion Conference, Sacramento, CA, AIAA #91-1922, 1991.
21. Myrabo, L.N., et al, “Transatmospheric Laser Propulsion,” Final Technical Report, prepared under Contract No. 2073803 for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the SDIO Laser Propulsion Program, 1989.
22. Wang, T.-S., Chen, Y.-S., Liu, J., Myrabo, L.N., and Mead, F.B., Jr., “Advanced Performance Modeling of Experimental Laser Lightcrafts,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, 11-12, 1129-1138 (2002).
23. Myrabo, L.N., Raizer, Yu.P., and Surzhikov, S.T., “Laser Combustion Waves in Laval Nozzles,” High Temperature, 33, n. 1, 11-20 (1995).
24. Moder, J.P., Myrabo, L.N., and Kaminski, D.A., “Analysis and Design of an Ultra-High Temperature Hydrogen-Fueled MHD Generator,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, 9, No. 5, 739-748 (1993).
25. Jones, R.A., Myrabo, L.N., Nagamatsu, H.T., and Minucci, M.A.S., “Experimental Investigation of an Axisymmetric Hypersonic Scramjet Inlet for Laser Propulsion,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, 8, No. 6, 1232-1237 (1992).
26. Minucci, M., and Myrabo, L.N., “Phase Distortion in a Propulsive Laser Beam Due to Aero-Optical Phenomena,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, 6, No. 4, 416-425 (1990).