(October 4, 2010 at 12:51 pm)Rhizomorph13 Wrote:(October 4, 2010 at 11:51 am)Chuck Wrote:(October 4, 2010 at 8:12 am)Dotard Wrote:(October 3, 2010 at 2:31 pm)downbeatplumb Wrote: In the 1980s, Robert Forward proposed two beam-powered propulsion schemes using either lasers or masers to push giant sails to a significant fraction of the speed of light
But no brakes. How do you stop a solar powered sailcraft travelling at a significant fraction of the speed of light? Would you need an equal distance to stop as you need to accellerate?
No absolute eed to slow down. The probe can return large amounts of data just zipping by at near speed of light.
But, but, how are we supposed to set up our first space colony there?
Mars sounds infinitely more doable for the foreseeable future.