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Gentlemen ,The thrust of the thread is the quest for near-future spaceship architectures .I stated the question as I did because we don't have real spaceships yet , and will not without major conceptual and technological advances . This is what I am questing for .P.M.
This light expends much of it's stored energy impacting the surface , not heating it . This could concievably produce thrust above 1Mlb , depending upon the efficiency of the "Heavy Light" conversion
One of many POSSIBILITIES , all of which could yield miraculous results . So hard to predict the development of technology .P.M.
, so I definitely say "possible".
These little bb.s will hit a reciever far harder than the emitted light would have .
The challenge is developing an efficient electron-catching and recycling mechanism .
There is your fundamental error . The recoil/impact of the light beam is nothing compared to it's energy content . The electrons parasitise much of that hidden energy , turning it into kinetic energy instead of thermal energy . On impact , they will push the reciever much harder than a light beam .Remember , a gigawatt can power several jumbo jets at once . That measly 1lb of thrust is nothing ! P.M.
Go ahead , spew out your " It can't be ! " arguments , I actually nailed down this paradigm years ago !
If one accepts that a relativistic electron hits a reciever much harder than a same-energy photon , I yam in business !P.
Just for grins , what happens when a powerful wave of X-rays hits a closed container of plasma ? Come on , all together now !
..........Unspeakably Obtuse !I definitely meant a container made of X-ray transparent material .P.