These Space Sails, Built in 24 Hours, Could Enable Fast Interplanetary Missions!

These Space Sails, Built in 24 Hours, Could Enable Fast Interplanetary Missions!

A recent breakthrough in nanotechnology could drastically accelerate the timeline of future space missions. Scientists from the Delft University of Technology and Brown University have unveiled an ultra-light, laser-propelled photon sail that could enable probes to travel across the solar system—and potentially to other stars—at unprecedented speeds. A New Era for Laser-Propelled Spacecraft The concept of using light to propel spacecraft isn’t n…