NASA estimates it takes about 500 days for humans to reach Mars. But Canadian engineers say a laser-based system could shorten a trip to Mars to just 45 days. NASA plans to send a crew to Mars in mid-2030. This time is almost the same time as China's ambition to also land humans on Mars. Engineers from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, say they have developed a laser-thermal propulsion system, in which a laser is used to heat hydrogen fuel. This is directional energy propulsion, using a large laser fired from Earth to send power to the photovoltaic array on the spacecraft that generates electricity and in turn propel the craft rapidly. The spacecraft accelerated very fast as it neared Earth, then hurtled toward Mars during the next month. Once on Mars, the main plane lands and the backup plane returns to earth. Reaching Mars in just six weeks is something that was previously only possible with nuclear fusion-powered rockets but the radiation risk is very high. The research team says this system could enable rapid transport within the solar system. The system uses a laser beam to propel the craft into space at relativistic speeds, with the more powerful the laser, the faster the spacecraft will glide. Some studies estimate that this technology could send a 200-pound satellite to Mars in just three days. Meanwhile, if using a larger spacecraft takes about one month to six weeks. The concept requires an array of gigawatt-powered lasers on Earth that can be fired into space, aimed at a light sail attached to the spacecraft to make the craft fly as fast as light. Study leader Emmanuel Duplay said, DE is an interesting subject to study. For example in the Starlight program known as the Directed Energy Propulsion for Interstellar Exploration (DEEP-IN) and Directed Energy Interstellar Studies (DEIS) programs.
"We are interested in how the same laser technology can be used for rapid transit in the Solar System, which we hope will be a stepping stone for demonstrating the technology," said Duplay.
“The spacecraft accelerates very fast while still near Earth. We believe we can use the same laser-powered rocket engine to bring the booster back into Earth orbit, after which it hurls the main vehicle to Mars, allowing it to be rapidly recycled in the next launch," added Duplay.
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