A new propulsion system could revolutionize interstellar travel
A Columbia University professor has come up with TARS—a clever new way to send tiny spacecraft to other stars, powered just by sunlight.
Instead of using fuel, TARS uses two spinning reflective panels as a sort of solar slingshot, potentially making space exploration cheaper and more eco-friendly.
TARS works by spinning its shiny panels in space
TARS works by spinning its shiny panels in space, slowly building up speed from sunlight—kind of like a solar sail with a twist.
Once it's fast enough (up to 12km per second!) , it can fling a probe out of the Sun's grip toward another star.
The system is simple enough that there is interest in building a small prototype, with one team offering a free launch if someone builds a cubesat-scale version, putting TARS alongside other bold ideas for exploring interstellar space.