On Tue, 13 Aug 2002 20:19:51 EDT, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
>I think you're mixing up two concepts: The laser or plasma torch based
>nose 'spike' is what we were discussing, which evolved from a simple
>physical spike. You seem to be looking at the *lightcraft*, which are
>totally powered by big groundbased lasers, which reflect off the bottom.
Not quite - reflecting a laser off the bottom would be laser launch.
What lightcraft do is reflect the laser beam so that it all impinges
on a torus of air, which then explodes. The craft gets its impulse
from the exploding air, rather than directly from the laser.
There are also larger designs using microwaves and MHD magic that I
don't understand.
-R
--
"Sutton is the beginning of wisdom -
but only the beginning."
-- Jeff Greason
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