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Ultrafast-laser driven plasma for space propulsion ("mars in weeks")
- uvdiv 14y agoIt is a new type of electric rocket, based on laser-driven plasma wakefield accelerators (which exist and are being developed for particle accelerators). It does not exist as a rocket engine; it hasn't been scaled for that, but it appears to be practical. It would be an extremely powerful and efficient electric rocket, with exhaust plasma achieving speeds of 100 million to 1 billion km/hour. Key points: * Extremely compact, efficient particle accelerator * Specific impulse of 3e6 seconds (30,000 km/s), at very low thrust * (that is >30 times better than any working ion or plasma thruster) * Thrust can scale, probably * Would allow interstellar travel in hundreds of years (vs. tens of thousands) Not much on wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_acceleration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_acceleration Competing electric rockets (which actually exist): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_thruster https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magnetoplasma_Rocket https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_Specific_Impulse_Magn...