alfa015 Posted July 5, 2020 Share Posted July 5, 2020 Hi everybody, I would like to share with you a crewed interstellar spacecraft which I have designed and called Solar One. It employs a combination of 3 propulsion methods: nuclear fusion, beam-powered propulsion , and photon propulsion. Basically, several compact fusion reactors power a laser system that propels a huge light sail. Physicist Robert Forward already proposed in 1983 to use a 26-TW laser system to propel a 100-km light sail, a fresnel lens to focus the beam of the laser, and decelerate the spacecraft with a secondary light sail. I propose something a bit different, which is to use to use for example a 60 TW-laser to propel a 5-km light sail that would deploy from the spacecraft after the acceleration stage, use parabolic mirrors that gradually change their orientation in order to focus the laser beam, and finally use a photon rocket to decelerate the spacecraft. In theory, it could be possible to achieve 25% the speed of light, reaching the closest potentially habitable exoplanet in less than 20 years. There are of course many challenges, like building high-energy continuous-wave lasers, reducing the weight of the nuclear fusion reactors (and of course achieving effective nuclear fusion first), and minimizing the effects of zero gravity during such a long trip. What do you guys suggest to overcome these challenges? This is my paper and a short video that summarizes all. LowZone and macgivre 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macgivre Posted July 7, 2020 Share Posted July 7, 2020 Regarding the power generation I have no clue, but regarding the high power laser, did you take a look at the "laser megajoule" that addition multiple lasers to product a massive beam (it's probably not yet at the scale for your need, but it may be a first path). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rollinshultz Posted August 9, 2020 Share Posted August 9, 2020 While I believe it will look cool, as a mode of travel, I worry about maneuverability and control. I firmly believe the only type of propulsion that would finally end burning materials to create thrust would be a magnetic drive. Being able to create a pull or push on a system's star and any nearby heavy mass would beat rockets of any kind. The game already has tractor beams (magnetic?) and gravity generators another magnetic technology. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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