10 ms·

Could this idea work for rockets leaving earth? Use a ground based laser to create a hole in the atmosphere then fly a rocket thru it to space. Edit: Some quic

Could this idea work for rockets leaving earth? Use a ground based laser to create a hole in the atmosphere then fly a rocket thru it to space. Edit: Some quick research seems to indicate that atmospheric drag is a relatively small part of the overall energy budget in a space launch - perhaps only 10%. So probably not worth the effort.

dfischer 6y ago
10% is a huge reduction and would significantly add up to cost savings with the potential it compounds savings. I think it’s certainly a possibility. Might eventually be a focus for Space X.
- aw1621107 6y ago
  It's probably going to come down to whether such a system could be made light and efficient enough to not offset the drag savings with extra mass.
  - dfischer 6y ago
    Exactly. I think it may be up their sleeve, especially with their potential ability to tap into Tesla.