light sail
Birds use Dynamic Soaring to Pick Up Velocity. We Could Use a Similar Trick to Go Interstellar
A new proposal for an interstellar mission shows how a solar sail could use the same technique birds do to…
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…
If Launched by 2028, a Spacecraft Could Catch up With Oumuamua in 26 Years
A new study by the Institute of Interstellar Studies (i4is) shows that with the right maneuver, a spacecraft could catch…
Want the Fastest Solar Sail? Drop it Into the Sun First
A new study from the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy shows how a "Sun Diver," a light sail that dives…
What’s the Best Way to Sail From World to World? Electric Sails or Solar Sails?
A new study compares two potential means of interstellar exploration, which could have implications for both space exploration and the…
Planetary Society’s Light Sail 2 is Set to Launch on a Falcon Heavy Rocket Next Month
The Planetary Society is going to launch their LightSail 2 CubeSat next month. LightSail 2 is a test mission designed…
Could ‘Oumuamua Be an Extraterrestrial Solar Sail?
A new study by researchers from the CfA offers a compelling explanation for 'Oumuamua strange appearance and behavior - could…
Optical Rocket Boosts Electrons to Nearly the Speed of Light
In a new experiment, a team of researchers used laser pulses to accelerate photons to near the speed of light,…
Weekly Space Hangout – May 23, 2015: Dr. Rhys Taylor
Host: Fraser Cain (@fcain) Special Guest:Dr. Rhys Taylor, Former Arecibo Post Doc; Current research involves looking for galaxies in the…