Spacecraft May Surf Magnetic Fields

Maggie McKee writes "Future spacecraft may surf the magnetic fields of Earth and other planets, taking previously unfeasible routes around the solar system, according to a proposal funded by NASA's Institute for Advanced Concepts. The electrically charged craft would not need rockets or propellant of any kind. To get charged up, the spacecraft could either fire a beam of charged particles into space or simply allow a radioactive isotope to emit charged particles. Because long, thin filaments have large surface areas for holding charge, the spacecraft might look like Einstein's head — with wiry filaments sticking out at all angles — or a weird space 'stocking.'"

Comments

Re:Last I Checked

[headkase]

The Sun's magnetospere is bigger than the orbit of Pluto if I remember correctly. And it doesn't have to be exclusive, you could use the magnetic "sock" for a stage of the journey and maybe propellents in another stage of the same voyage and then you short range teleport for the last 5000km ;). It's just another useful tool to employ from a mission planning perspective.