Laser Pulse Detonation

Danger

There would have to be, as far as I know. Photons exert pressure, which is why the sail works in the first place. There would have to be, therefore, an equal and opposite force upon the launcher.

redargon

So you could put the ISS out of orbit unless you steadied it during launch using jets or something. Interesting. I think this laser launch module could be a pretty big one :smlie:

Scrambler

This idea you propose might work, but as you know things left in orbit go around the planet and orbit , so the beam will not be constantly reflected back, this mirror or reflective surface will need its own fuel to maintain its position between the planet and the vehicle! Correct me if I'm wrong !

Scrambler

redargon and Danger !!

This is an excellent point you have pointed out ! Newton's third law, which I have avoided using because in space it causes a headache according to it, The ISS would have to exert an equal force at the "back" and that should solve the problem, so there will need to be a laser module and an extra fuel module, or this opportunity can be taken to launch TWO vehicles directly opposite to each other and avoid this problem !

Scrambler

To answer the mirror question, well no MIRROR is 100% reflective, so some heat will be absorbed, the only way i can think of is :

To use a mirror with a material so the particles aren't close enough to trap the heat and allow the heat to dissipate away from the reflecting surface, and out the "back", another way would be to somehow cool the mirror without affecting its ability to reflect light, after all a laser is just another form of light, my knowledge of mirrors is limited, does anyone know if this sort of mirror exists or what type of material can be made for the back of the reflective surface ?