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Chemical rockets can only get us so far.
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Chemical rockets can only get us so far. In order to reach another star system, we'll need a more energy-dense propellant or use a beam of energy to accelerate a spacecraft to relativistic speeds—a photonic lightsail. A new paper explores the benefits and downsides of lightsails, calculates what configuration would be best to carry a small payload to another star within a human lifetime, and investigates the materials that could make it possible.
Photonic Lightsails: Fast and Stable Propulsion for Interstellar Travel
Abstract page for arXiv paper 2502.17828: Photonic Lightsails: Fast and Stable Propulsion for Interstellar Travel
arXiv.org (arxiv.org)
