
A Visionary Project Aims for Alpha Centauri, a Star 4.37 Light-Years Away - ghshephard
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/13/science/alpha-centauri-breakthrough-starshot-yuri-milner-stephen-hawking.html
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saeranv
Question: Does anyone understand how propulsion is achieved here? How does the
foil sail catching laser light propel something forward?

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qbrass
The light transfers some of it's momentum to the sail as it bounces off of it.
It works in a vacuum, but there's too much drag to use it in an atmosphere.

