A team of researchers from the University of California, Santa Barbara has proposed a new method to propel probes into deep space using a beam of pellets. The technique involves firing a beam of small pellets, each about the size of a grain of sand, at a probe to create a burst of energy that would propel it forward.

According to the team, the method could potentially solve one of the biggest challenges in deep space exploration: how to efficiently and cost-effectively send probes beyond our solar system.

“We wanted to find a way to get a spacecraft up to a very high speed using a method that doesn’t require a lot of propellant,” said Philip Lubin, a professor of physics at UCSB and one of the authors of the study. “And that’s what led us to the idea of using a beam of pellets.”

The team’s method involves firing the pellets at the probe using a laser. When the pellets hit the probe, they would release a burst of energy, similar to the explosion of a small firecracker. The force of the explosion would propel the probe forward at a high speed.

To test their idea, the researchers built a small-scale prototype of their system and fired pellets at a metal plate. They found that the pellets were able to create a significant burst of energy, enough to potentially propel a probe into deep space.

The team’s method is still in the early stages of development, and there are many challenges that need to be overcome before it can be used to launch a probe into deep space. One of the biggest challenges is to create a laser system that can fire the pellets with enough force to create a significant burst of energy.

Despite the challenges, Lubin and his team are optimistic about the potential of their method. “Our hope is that this method could be used to launch probes to explore other star systems within our lifetime,” Lubin said.

The team’s research was published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

Via The Impactlab