Abstract: For providing a propulsion device particularly for a spacecraft, comprising a plasma chamber in which a plasma can be produced in a propellant, and a focussing arrangement for focussing an electromagnetic radiation field into a focussing region in the plasma chamber in order to produce the plasma, the propulsion device being highly efficient and controllable, it is proposed to arrange in the plasma chamber a plasma ignition arrangement whereby a material which lowers the plasma breakdown threshold in the propellant can be brought into the focussing region.

Abstract: For providing a propulsion device particularly for a spacecraft, comprising a plasma chamber in which a plasma can be produced in a propellant, and a focussing arrangement for focussing an electromagnetic radiation field into a focussing region in the plasma chamber in order to produce the plasma, the propulsion device being highly efficient and controllable, it is proposed to arrange in the plasma chamber a plasma ignition arrangement whereby a material which lowers the plasma breakdown threshold in the propellant can be brought into the focussing region.

Abstract: In a gas discharge device having a gas discharge channel, which comprises two gas discharge electrodes and a gas discharge volume lying between said electrodes, having an energy storage circuit connected by a switching device to the gas discharge electrodes for producing a current surge flowing between a first output terminal and a second output terminal for operating a gas discharge, and having an ignition device for separate ignition of the gas discharge, in order to improve said device in such a way that it operates better and more reliably, it is proposed that the switching device comprises a voltage divider lying between the output terminals and comprising a first and a second impedance, that the gas discharge electrodes are connected in parallel to the first impedance and a spark gap is connected in parallel to the second impedance, that the first impedance is so dimensioned that, in the absence of a gas discharge, a voltage lying below the breakdown voltage of the gas discharge electrodes is applied to

Abstract: In order to improve a gasdynamic CO laser, comprising an excitation region, in which a laser gas is excited, a supersonic nozzle, through which the laser gas flows, a laser-active region penetrated by a resonator beam path and a closed laser gas circuit, in which the laser gas is cyclically conducted, such that this requires smaller pumping capacities and is therefore suitable for commercial uses, it is suggested that the supersonic nozzle be designed such that at a downstream outlet thereof the laser gas has a temperature in the region of approximately 80 to approximately 180 Kelvin.

Abstract: In order to improve a gasdynamic CO laser comprising a gas supply means supplying a laser gas, an excitation region, in which the laser gas is excited, a supersonic nozzle arranged downstream of the excitation region and having the laser gas flowing therethrough and a laser-active region which is penetrated by a resonator beam path, such that it is possible to excite the laser gas in a more optimum manner, it is suggested that the laser gas be excited in the excitation region by means of a high-frequency discharge in a high-frequency discharge region and that the high-frequency discharge region end in front of the supersonic nozzle.