>>11871149>Is this bullshit?Depends, from a physics standpoint?
No, the math checks out.
From an engineering standpoint?
Kind of on the edge, a 1g spacecraft with a massive solar sail would be rather complicated to build.
Especialy thermal problems are to be expected due to the square/cube law and a voyage that includes interstellar travel, a gigawatt laser and getting close to 3 stars.
And then there are the issues of getting an energy source for it, a high gain antenna and a trasnmitter strong enough.
Also let's not forget about radiation destroying microlelectronics.
>Firing lasers to propel a probe?IMHO that's the least probelmatic thing about that project.
The military certainly will want an orbital gigawatt laser, so funding for that will most likely be easy to get.
