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Solar Spacecraft Propulsion

 Start the conversation and then go say hello!
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If the idea I just submitted http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/our_20sun

were to be constructed it strikes me that it could possibly be used to facilitate space exploration as well.

Assuming you constructed the "Star Strobe" (someone elses name but I like it) and it was built like a circular but flat disc as opposed to a half sphere, you could use positioning motors to flex it concavely thus focusing a great deal of heat and light to a point. You could use the beam to drive a spacecraft in the desired direction (since the Star Strobe is movable).

So once you establish contact with the aliens you could go visit them.

If we were to colonize another solar system we could construct another star strobe there and use -its- beam to slow an incomming craft thus enabling two way transit.

—Jason503, Apr 08 2004

Star Strobe http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/our_20sun
[Jason503, Oct 21 2004]

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       Thanks be to FarmerJohn for the Star Strobe name.
—Jason503, Apr 08 2004
   

       This sounds like a solar sail powered spacecraft, but with a bit more umph...   

       I don't think you'd want to use quite that large of a mirror. A mirror much smaller than the earth would probably provide as much power as you could handle.   

       Focusing the light energy from a large portion of the sun ought to be enough to cook a planet.
—scad mientist, Apr 09 2004
   

       Nice variation on the old lightsail. Howzabout this: build a nozzle around the focus point, then inject hydrogen to make a fusion drive.
—5th Earth, Apr 09 2004
   


 

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