Photonic Laser Thuster

[summoner]

Usually claims of this nature belong in phenom thread, but these guys have some impressive backing.<br /><br /><font color="yellow">TUSTIN, Calif., Sept. 7, 2007 -- An amplified photon thruster that could potentially shorten the trip to Mars from six months to a week has reportedly attracted the attention of aerospace agencies and contractors.<br /><br />The demonstration produced a photon thrust of 35 µN and is scalable to achieve much greater thrust for future space missions, the institute said. Applications include highly precise satellite formation flying configurations for building large synthetic apertures in space for earth or space observation, precision contaminant-free spacecraft docking operations, and propelling spacecraft to unprecedented speeds -- faster than 100 km/sec.</font><br /><br />Linl<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width:271px;background-color:#FFF;border:1pxsolid#999"><tr><td colspan="2"><div style="height:35px"><img src="http://banners.wunderground.com/weathersticker/htmlSticker1/language/www/US/MT/Three_Forks.gif" alt="" height="35" width="271" style="border:0px" /></div>

 

[docm]

This is most definitely <i><b>not</b></i> Phenomenon material. Laser propulsion was first proposed by Arthur Kantrowitz in 1972.<br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[j05h]

So the drive emits light or a small particle beam? Kind of the reverse of a Myrabo laser-launch? Does it inject a fuel into light-beam?<br /><br />j <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div align="center"><em>We need a first generation of pioneers.</em><br /></div> </div>

 

[wick07]

cool, really cool. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#3366ff"><strong>_______________________________<em> </em></strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><em>"</em>If you are surrounded by those who constatly agree with you, then you're in an intellectual vacuum.  If you feel like trying to make a difference, you have to BE different.  How can you do that without interacting with those who are different from yourself?"</font></p><p><font color="#0000ff">-  a_lost_packet_</font></p> </div>

 

[nimbus]

Could space elevators somehow benefit from this? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[lysol]

Not as a lift vehicle.<br /><br />Best bet for a prime mover for the car up the ribbon is an electric motor which is powered by an IR laser from the ground.