The Hidden Physics Complicating Interstellar Lightsails

The Hidden Physics Complicating Interstellar Lightsails
By Andy Tomaswick (https://ift.tt/yWctj3u)

If we’re to reach another star, chemical propulsion will not get us there in any reasonable time frame. We’re going to need a different propulsion technology, and one of the most promising seems to be a solar sail. These giant reflective surfaces form the basis of many interstellar missions. Combined with giant lasers pushing them, they can be accelerated to speeds unreachable by any other current technologies. However, according to a new paper available on arXiv from Chao Shen and Jiaze Li of the Harbin Institute of Technology, once those missions start reaching a significant percentage of the speed of light they’re going to run into a drag force from the light itself.

June 8, 2026 at 08:45PM
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