Light-Propelled ‘Metajets’ Could Enable 20-Year Journey to Alpha Centauri, Study Suggests
A new approach to optical propulsion uses lasers to lift and steer objects in multiple directions.
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Humanity’s desire to explore deep space continues to inspire new ways to reach places far from home. Using conventional rocket propulsion, traveling to our nearest stellar neighbor, Alpha Centauri, would take thousands of years. Instead, researchers are looking to light as a faster, cheaper, and more sustainable form of propulsion that could enable deep space travel.cnx.cmd.push(function(){cnx({"playerId":"92b7b46b-43ed-4e0e-b21b-2c999302d9d7","settings":{"advertising":{"macros":{"AD_UNIT":"/23178111854/od.gizmodo.com/article","CHILD_UNIT":"article","POST_ID":"2000751691","POST_TYPE":"post","CHANNEL":"science","SECTION":"space","SUBSECTION":"","CATEGORIES":"space","TAGS":"in-space-propulsion,rocket-propulsion,space-travel","NOP":"0"},"timeBeforeFirstAd":0}}}).render("cnx-player-main")});…
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