The use of an electrostatic analyzer as a time‐of‐flight spectrometer for studying laser produced plasmas is discussed. It is shown that a plane electrostatic analyzer, accommodating several detectors simultaneously, can be used to determine several points on the velocity distribution curve for the ions produced upon irradiation of a target with a single Q‐switched laser pulse. This minimizes the problem of shot‐to‐shot reproducibility of the laser. It is shown also that with a 30° plane analyzer good energy and time resolution are obtainable in determining the time dependent ion velocity distribution for a laser produced plasma.