You are not logged in.
- Topics: Active | Unanswered
Announcement
#1 2025-01-09 11:00:53
- Void
- Member
- Registered: 2011-12-29
- Posts: 9,528
Sunbeam Electron Propulsion, and beamed power Laser, Microwave
The query of the topic yields this general response: https://www.bing.com/search?q=Sunbeam%2 … cc=0&ghpl=
I see it as a mind bender. The electron beam should repulse itself and scatter, but because of relativity experienced by the electrons time dilation allows the beam to reach it's target intact enough to push it.
https://phys.org/news/2025-01-relativis … alpha.html
Quote:
January 6, 2025
Editors' notes
Relativistic electron beam could propel probe to Alpha Centauri, study suggests
by Andy Tomaswick, Universe Today
If I understand it the beam can reach out to 100 AU somehow, and the craft may be able to get to 10% of the speed of light.
This of course leads me to ask if it could be used to propel interplanetary craft within out sun's gravity well?
And for instance could you shine a beam like that on a small world, to send power?
Ending Pending 
Electrons have mass, I believe so getting them to near the speed of light is a whole lot of energy in the beam, I expect.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_mass
Quote:
Terminology
The term "rest mass" is sometimes used because in special relativity the mass of an object can be said to increase in a frame of reference that is moving relative to that object (or if the object is moving in a given frame of reference). Most practical measurements are carried out on moving electrons. If the electron is moving at a relativistic velocity, any measurement must use the correct expression for mass. Such correction becomes substantial for electrons accelerated by voltages of over 100 kV.
I believe that the receiver still needs some work.
Ending Pending
I might as well include beamed laser power so: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technolo … 8121&ei=14
Quote:
Lasers powered by sunlight could beam energy through space to support interplanetary missions
Story by Skyler Ware • 2w • 3 min read
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (2025-01-09 11:16:22)
Is it possible that the root of political science claims is to produce white collar jobs for people who paid for an education and do not want a real job?
Offline
Like button can go here
#2 2025-01-09 12:02:56
- tahanson43206
- Moderator
- Registered: 2018-04-27
- Posts: 24,799
Re: Sunbeam Electron Propulsion, and beamed power Laser, Microwave
This post is reserved for an index to posts that may be contributed by NewMars members over time.
The theme of this new topic certainly seems to have upside potential.
A beam of electrons moving at the suggested energy levels would be lethal to unprotected space craft that might get in the way.
In another topic a NewMars member pointed out that a properly made fabric can withstand the fierce energies near the Sun, and thus might be able to accelerate away from the Sun, and to slow down when approaching another sun.
The electron beam for which this topic was created would appear to be a way to provide a small thrust to an interstellar probe over an extended period. The Earth is going to be moving while the beam is deployed, and the departing probe is going to be moving as well so it will require adjustment of the beam as time goes on, to insure that the electrons in the beam actually reach the target over great distances. Humans already have experience with this problem, because every probe that remains alive is sending data back to Earth from moving platforms. Humans have to aim transmitting dish antenna so that the radio waves reach the place where the probe is going to be after millions of kilometers of travel. This is "Kentucky windage" and "Tennessee Elevation" raised to the nth power.
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here
#3 2025-12-14 10:33:28
- tahanson43206
- Moderator
- Registered: 2018-04-27
- Posts: 24,799
Re: Sunbeam Electron Propulsion, and beamed power Laser, Microwave
This topic has been idle since January of 2025. New activity elsewhere in the forum suggests there might be an opportunity to develop the topic further.
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here
#4 2025-12-15 10:26:43
- Void
- Member
- Registered: 2011-12-29
- Posts: 9,528
Re: Sunbeam Electron Propulsion, and beamed power Laser, Microwave
I have been very pleased to see it said that a CRT is a form of Electron Particle Accelerator. My phone said so, but of course as always my computer is not the same.
Cathode Ray Tube: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathode_ray_tube
Image Quote: 
The original televisions would use the CRT method shown above.
Electron particle accelerators are devices that accelerate electrons to very high speeds and energies. They are used in various applications, including fundamental research in particle physics, radioisotope production for medical diagnostics, and ion implanters for semiconductor manufacturing. The process involves generating a beam of electrons, which are then accelerated by electric and magnetic fields to achieve the desired energy levels. These accelerators are crucial for studying the structure and properties of matter and the fundamental interactions of elementary particles.
Wikipedia
+5
An Electron Particle Accelerator that can send electrons at relativistic speeds, would need much more in the way of electric and magnetic methods to accelerate the electrons, I expect.
I am hoping the technology could be used to help propel spacecraft that travel interplanetary as well as the existing intention to make them travel interstellar.
I am thinking that a spacecraft surrounded by a magnetic field might receive the electrons. So, you might not be striking solid materials but magnetic lines of force.
Ending Pending
Last edited by Void (2025-12-15 10:36:12)
Is it possible that the root of political science claims is to produce white collar jobs for people who paid for an education and do not want a real job?
Offline
Like button can go here
#5 2026-05-31 18:07:57
- tahanson43206
- Moderator
- Registered: 2018-04-27
- Posts: 24,799
Re: Sunbeam Electron Propulsion, and beamed power Laser, Microwave
Void created this topic with "beamed power laser" included in the title. Of all our "power" topics, this one seemed the best fit for this news report.
https://www.yahoo.com/tech/science/arti … 14416.html
Sydney Startup Just Powered a Robot With a Laser for 24 Hours Straight In World First Breakthrough
Nikshep MyleFri, May 29, 2026 at 12:13 PM EDT
2 min read
Image: Aquila EarthDead batteries shouldn’t sideline your warehouse robots mid-shift, but Aquila Earth just proved they don’t have to. This Sydney-based startup powered a warehouse robot for 24 hours straight using nothing but a 4-kilowatt laser beam—no charging breaks, no battery swaps, no downtime.
Think of it as a wireless power cable made of light. Aquila’s system converts grid electricity into a focused infrared laser, beams it through the air to a receiver mounted on the robot, then converts that light back into electrical power. The robot traveled roughly 25 kilometers during the test run, operating on laser power with only nominal battery backup.
Safety Meets Science Fiction
The safety angle matters more than the sci-fi factor here. Aquila built automatic shutoffs that kill the beam instantly when unexpected objects—like humans—enter the laser path. CEO Ruby Jones calls this protection “foolproof” from the operator’s perspective, addressing the obvious concern about invisible infrared beams powerful enough to run industrial equipment.
“It’s the most power that has ever been delivered to a dynamic platform,” Jones told Renew Economy. “Nobody else has ever done it with that much power in power beaming, ever.” The company claims two world records:
Highest total laser power transferred to a moving platform
Longest continuous duration at this power level
Racing Against Battery Physics
Aquila isn’t alone in this wireless power race. Japanese giants Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and NTT recently transmitted 1 kilowatt over one kilometer, achieving 152 watts of received power at 15% efficiency. PowerLight Technologies has logged 15 years of beaming demonstrations, though typically at lower power levels or shorter durations than Aquila’s warehouse marathon.
The timing aligns with broader warehouse automation trends—facilities increasingly rely on AI-driven robots for inventory management and order fulfillment, but battery limitations still constrain operational efficiency.
Commercial Reality Check
Aquila targets commercial deployment around 2027, with partnerships already sketched out with major drone companies. The economics have shifted dramatically: kilowatt-class lasers that cost $120,000 when the company launched in 2022 now run about $6,000 from Chinese suppliers.
Your warehouse robots could soon operate like they’re plugged into an invisible extension cord, eliminating the battery anxiety that currently forces scheduled downtime. Jones envisions “perpetual” drones and robots that never need to land or dock—they just keep working as long as the laser stays on.
From the coolest cars to the must-have gadgets, GadgetReview’s daily newsletter keeps you in the know. Subscribe - it’s fun, fast, and free.
I can ** certainly ** see this technology having a major role on Mars.
The risk of beams hitting humans there would be less if folks stay indoors and direct the robot work force from there.
(th)
Offline
Like button can go here