I remember a couple of books I read as a kid about space voyages with space ships that used light sails. Seemed so implausible at the time, but…
Light sails and plasma sails: Solar sails can use the pressure of photons from the sun to drive a spacecraft through the solar system (or beyond) without on-board propellant, just as a sailboat is driven across a lake. The latest test of the technology was conducted earlier this year, using the Planetary Society’s Lightsail prototype. Someday, directed beams of laser light or plasma particles could be employed to provide more push for interstellar flight (as described in “Aurora”). The University of Washington’s Advanced Propulsion Lab has looked into creating “mini-magnetospheres” for plasma to push against.
And can you imagine what is next? Go on to the next page for some tech that many have called the “holy grail” of energy production and interstellar travel…
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