Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site mordor.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!umcp-cs!gymble!lll-crg!dual!mordor!@S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:DIETZ@RUTGERS.ARPA From: @S1-A.ARPA,@MIT-MC.ARPA:DIETZ@RUTGERS.ARPA Newsgroups: net.space Subject: Starwisp Message-ID: <2363@mordor.UUCP> Date: Fri, 21-Jun-85 18:17:34 EDT Article-I.D.: mordor.2363 Posted: Fri Jun 21 18:17:34 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 29-Jun-85 23:58:02 EDT Sender: daemon@mordor.UUCP Lines: 17 From: DIETZ@RUTGERS.ARPA I missed the beginning of the Interstellar probe discussion. Did Forward's Starwisp idea get mentioned? Starwisp is a VERY lightweight cloud of thin metal wires. Arranged at the intersections of the wires are tiny electronic devices. The wisp is powered by microwaves from a source in the solar system. It is accelerated by microwave radiation pressure at about 100 gees(!); acceleration is limited (as in all radiation pressure systems) by heating of the sail. It coasts, inactive, to the target system at a good fraction of c. When it reaches the target system a microwave beam from the solar system (greatly spread out) illuminates it; information is transmitted back to Earth by phase conjugating the microwave power signal. The engineering challenges here are severe, but relatively little power is needed (gigawatts for a gram-scale wisp). -------