Pulsed laser ablation propulsion has the characteristics of high specific impulse and precise and controllable thrust. It can be used not only for launching payload, but also for satellite drive, even for deflecting the orbit of asteroid, whose surface material would be ablated as propellant. Therefore, pulsed laser ablation propulsion has attracted more and more attention in the aerospace field. Focusing on laser launch vehicle of single stage to orbit, transmission to geosynchronous orbit and Mars orbit; laser plasma thrusters for the attitude and orbit control of spacecraft, laser-electric hybrid acceleration systems; laser ablation for orbit manipulation of centimeter scale space debris and attitude manipulation of larger space debris; laser ablation for deflecting the orbit of asteroid, this paper systematically and comprehensively summarizes the research status and progress of pulsed laser ablation propulsion technology in the field of aerospace, and analyzes in detail the key problems such as the average power, wavelength, pulse width of laser and the selection of propellant.