02-02-2017, 04:30 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-02-2017, 04:31 AM by stevebowers.)
Yes. There is a rather clever hybrid laser propulsions/smart particle propulsion system devised by Jordin Kare that might have powered some of these early probes; a big laser array accelerates millions or billions of tiny laser sails, which then converge on the payload and act like mass particles to transfer significantly more momentum to it.
The Sailbeam concept (yes, I know I've mentioned it before)
http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=460
The Sailbeam concept (yes, I know I've mentioned it before)
http://www.centauri-dreams.org/?p=460