directed energy
Tiny Swarming Spacecraft Could Establish Communications with Proxima Centauri
New research from the Institute for Interstellar Studies explains how swarms of thousands of tiny spacecraft could maintain communications with…
A Novel Propulsion System Would Hurl Hypervelocity Pellets at a Spacecraft to Speed it up
A new proposal for a pellet-beam spacecraft could enable interstellar missions and a Solar Gravitational Lens in a matter of…
Laser-Powered Sails Would be Great for Exploring the Solar System too
A new study from UCLA shows how laser-driven light sails could be a cost-effective method for exploring the Solar System…
Lasers Could Send Missions to Mars in Only 45 Days
New research from McGill University shows that a powerful laser array could propel a fusion-engine spacecraft to Mars in a…
What’s the Best Way to Communicate With an Interstellar Probe When it’s Light-Years Away From Earth?
A new study by an international team of scientists addressed a major challenge with interstellar missions: how to send and…
How Will we Receive Signals From Interstellar Probes, Like Starshot?
A new study takes a look at the challenges of sending and receiving data over interstellar distances using tight-beam lasers
Prototype of a Future Interstellar Probe was Just Tested on a Balloon
Researchers with the UCSB Experimental Cosmology Group recently conducted a successful stratospheric test of their wafercraft, which could be traveling…
What is the Death Ray?
First proposed in the early 20th century, and a staple of science fiction for over a century, the concept of…
What’s the Most Stable Shape for an Interstellar Lightsail?
A recent study by an international team of scientists looked at Project Starshot and assessed the likelihood of its success,…
Shields Up, Mr. Sulu! Cruising At 20% Speed Of Light Has Some Inherent Risks
A recent study by funded by Starshot attempts to address one of the biggest challenges in interstellar travel - the…