Interesting space vessel propulsion system.

[Lancer]

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/pages/lcraft.html

"The laser energy is concentrated to extremely high intensities, sufficient to burst inlet air momentarily into highly luminous plasma (10-30,000 degrees), with up to ten atmospheric pressures, providing thrust. An operational Lightcraft, with on-board propellant, would fly to Mach 5 on an air-breathing engine then shift to laser-propelled rocket mode. "

[DeathByTheSword]

very old news...i saw it fly...but problem is controlling the thing so that the laser keeps hitting it

[planet]

Did it fly for long?

[DeathByTheSword]

a 40 cm diameter version fly around 80 m i think...but that was with a small laser...they have bigger indoor version that they think can get to 1 km when finished...but this i dont no for sure...as soon as the craft just moves a slightest bit the from left to right the 'exhaust' will push the ship even more in that direction...and i still dont know how they want to steer a ship that is spinning like crazy (although that makes it ofcourse fly straighter)

[BeBMan]

Still no warp drive

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by DeathByTheSword
very old news...i saw it fly...but problem is controlling the thing so that the laser keeps hitting it

Would that be a controlling problem or an aiming problem?

Radar travels at the speed of light. Zingo, your radar computer should know exactly where the craft is. Then you only need to aim the laser at the right spot and fire.

[DanS]

There are many challenges with laser launch. Firstly, the needed high power lasers are unavailable at this time.

I can imagine that we soon will have lasers powerful enough for in-space propulsion, but launching from Earth takes a much more energetic reaction.

[chequita guevara]

I've seen it, and was unimpressed.

[Harry Tuttle]

Product of the Star Wars laser system. Been doing this for years now.

[Zkribbler]

BTW: A few years ago, I saw something like this being used as an experimental launch system.

The beam was aimed stright up and fired into the bottom of a rotating sphere. The experimental system could kick the sphere up about two stories high. The scientist said all he needed was a stronger laser to rise the sphere to orbital heights.

The rapid rotation of the sphere made it unsuitable for human flight, but the plan was to send up water and homologous stuff like that to orbiting space stations. I couldn't help but think that the sphere will be over one spot and the space station or shuttle will come ripping in at 90,000 m.p.h. or however fast they travel. Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

[Lancer]

So when they can do this, destroying a satalite will be no problem.