C
CAllenDoudna
Guest
Got a question and the experts seem to disagree: If it's true that the tiny thrust of an ion engine will eventually add up to a considerable speed and if it's true that a sheet of aluminum foil could be used as a sail and sunlight used as wind then we should be able to screw a lightbulb on the back of a spaceship and use the lightbulb as our engine. It would be vastly cheaper and a lot more reliable than an ion engine and could be used in intersteller space beyond the range of sunlight. While your little 60-watt lightbulb would do, a bank of stadium lights would build up speed faster. LEDs do not change the concept.