Re: Real Life Thrust (was: hyperspace)

Mike Miserendino writes:
@:) 
@:) I remember some scientists discussing a laser powered craft some
@:) time ago, not to mention in sci-fi novels.	Many authors only
@:) described it for use in initial acceleration, due to beam
@:) convergence problems and enormous energy requirements for the
@:) laser.

  Yeah, the general theory on lasers is that only a ground-based
installation is worthwhile.  You can't get enough power from batteries
or solar panels on the spacecraft, and if you install a reactor, well,
that's that much more weight you have to haul into space.  The only
plausible way to do this today is to build a ground station with a
very large laser and an extremely large power plant and just blast
stuff up into orbit.  Or out of orbit, whatever.

-joachim