4 ms·

Could such a probe do a round-trip if it does a 180 flip when it gets ~midway (adjusted for star brightness)?

• Someone 5y ago
  This probe isn’t solar-powered, it’s laser-powered (because solar energy/area goes down too fast at larger distances. Creating and aiming the lasers for this is a technical challenge in itself) So, it could do a round-trip only if you had a similar laser set up at the destination. If you can do that, why build this tiny spacecraft?
  • BbzzbB 5y ago
    Oh crap, silly me... It slipped me that this project is/will be laser powered. I'll go into hiding now.
• Rebelgecko 5y ago
  Changing orientation doesn't necessarily change velocity. I don't think there's a way to "tack" 180°.