Two difficulties with the use of laser-propelled lightsails for interstellar propulsion are the extremely low energy efficiency, and the extremely large lenses required. Both the energy efficiency and the required lens size may be greatly improved by use of a particle beam, rather than a light beam. The particle beam is reflected by a magnetic field on the spacecraft, for example, by a magnetic sail or a mini-magnetosphere inflated by a plasma current. This results in a net force on the sail with no expenditure of propellant, allowing extremely high delta-V missions, such as an interstellar probe, to be accomplished.
Interstellar Flight by Particle Beam
Space Technology Applications International Forum Conference on Innovative Transportation Systems for Exploration of the Solar System and Beyond ; 2001 ; Albuquerque, NM, United States
2001-01-01
Preprint
No indication
English
Interstellar Flight by Particle Beam
NTIS | 2001
|Interstellar flight by particle beam
Elsevier | 2004
|Interstellar Flight by Particle Beam
British Library Conference Proceedings | 2001
|Interstellar flight by particle beam
Online Contents | 2004
|AIAA | 1980
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