Scientists and science fiction writers alike have dreamt of aircrafts that are propelled by beams of light rather than conventional fuels. Now, a new method for improving the thrust generated by such laser-propulsion systems may bring them one step closer to practical use.<br><br>The method, developed by physicists Yuri Rezunkov of the Institute of Optoelectronic Instrument Engineering, Russia and Alexander Schmidt of the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute in Saint Petersburg, Russia is described today in The Optical Society's (OSA) journal Applied Optics.<br><br><a href="http://phys.org/news/2014-10-supersonic-laser-propelled-rockets.html">READ MORE ON PHYS.ORG</a><br><br>Ref: <a href="http://www.opticsinfobase.org/ao/abstract.cfm?URI=ao-53-31-I55&origin=search">"Supersonic Laser Propulsion,"</a> Y. Rezunkov and A. Schmidt, Applied Optics, Vol. 53, Issue 31, pp. I55-I62 (2014).
