Star Wars - does it have a future?

[Peebothuhlu]

At work.

Actually, some one of a physics bent could probably work that kind of thing out.

Of course, the numbers would have a deal of 'Error' since we don't know specifics such as Alderan's mean density or composition.

Don't forget that 'Solar sails' are a thing. So... if you have a laser beam... you can push such a sail all the same.

Cheers.

And that's on the receiving end, the light beams impact with the sail and impart kinetic energy. There's no thrust at the origin end.

Uhm.... wait? What?

Lets work through this image again and together.

So... the innitial idea is for the photons cascading off Sun (And up, out of the Sun's gravity well) to be 'Caught' and their momentum harnessed to 'Push' a vehicle.

The advantage is the solar power is an effectivly 'Free' byproduct of stellar fusion. The down side is 'Inverse square law' (?) As you receed from the sun. The amount of radiant power (Photon scatter ?) drops off at a rapidly reduced rate.

So, to 'Push' a solar sail out of the planetary system and not just move around the inner system
You need to build a focussed photon array (A laser) to keep the craft accelerating out into the void.

NOW, of course, we get to the fun part of physics.

If I have a power generator hooked up to a laser then the very act of photons leaving the array will impart a force on said array in the other direction. So, kind of, photon rocket science.

We currently do this the working 'Ion drives' that a couple of little probes are using to move about in our solar system (With Xenon being the operating medium).

I'm pretty sure Scott Manley has a naffy series that covers this side of our discussion when he talks about "So what is rocket fuel?"

Hope that all helps.