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Researchers have demonstrated a new form of propulsion that uses nothing but light to move objects, offering a potential pathway toward faster space travel. The concept, known as “metajets,” relies on specially engineered materials that can convert light into controlled motion without fuel or mechanical systems.
The work was led by scientists at Texas A&M University, where experiments showed tiny devices being lifted and steered using laser light alone. While still at a microscopic scale, the results highlight how light based propulsion could be expanded in future applications, as reported by Texas A&M Engineering News.
The underlying principle is radiation pressure, a known effect where light carries momentum and can exert force when it interacts with matter. This idea has already been used in solar sail spacecraft, such as those developed by NASA and JAXA, which use sunlight to generate gradual thrust in space.
What makes metajets different is how they control that force. The devices are built from metasurfaces, ultra thin materials patterned at the nanoscale. When light hits these surfaces, it is redirected in specific ways, creating controlled forces that can move the object in multiple directions. This allows not just forward motion, but also steering and stabilization.
In laboratory tests, the metajets were able to levitate and move sideways at the same time under laser illumination. This level of control addresses a key challenge in light based propulsion, maintaining stability and direction during movement. For future spacecraft traveling at high speeds, precise control would be essential.
The long term vision is to scale this concept for space travel. One proposed application involves using powerful lasers to accelerate lightweight spacecraft to a fraction of the speed of light. At speeds approaching 20 percent of light speed, a journey to the Alpha Centauri system, located about 4.37 light years away, could theoretically take around 20 years instead of tens of thousands.
However, the current technology is far from that stage. The prototypes tested are smaller than a human hair, and scaling them up would require significant advances in materials, laser systems, and navigation. Challenges include generating enough power, maintaining beam accuracy over long distances, and ensuring the spacecraft can withstand extreme conditions.
Despite these limitations, the research demonstrates a key concept, that motion can be generated and controlled using light alone. If the technology can be scaled, it could contribute to new propulsion systems that reduce reliance on conventional fuel and enable faster deep space exploration.
