Beam power of ground-based coherently combined beams for the momentum coupling with space debris

The coherently combined beams (CCBs) have the potential to be applied in the application of the ground-based laser space debris removal because of the high output power and the good beam quality. The beam power of ground-based CCBs for the momentum coupling with space debris is studied, where the complex beam propagation effects in the turbulent atmosphere on the laser fluence at the target are all taken into account. The focal length expression of nonlinear self-focusing of ground-based CCBs is derived, which provides a very useful tool to investigate the momentum coupling of the ground-based CCBs with space debris. The transcendental equations of the threshold beam power and the optimal beam power of ground-based CCBs are derived, which are corresponding to the threshold and optimal momentum coupling of laser-debris interaction in space. Furthermore, the approaches beneficial to the space-debris removal by ground-based CCBs are also proposed.