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HellKnightRob t1_j9bht20 wrote

Reply to comment by rootofallworlds in Does refracting light impart momentum onto the object that is refracting it, for the duration of the refraction? by TheFeshy

Could this be a potential propulsion system in a vacuum? Like I know solar sails are a thing, but could it be plausible to emit a high lumen light directed through a prism for propulsion from the craft itself?

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rootofallworlds t1_j9bipxw wrote

You don’t need a prism. A directional light source produces a recoil force. For a near-perfect beam like a laser you need 300 megawatts per Newton.

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