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Photonic propulsion is a propulsion system that uses radiation pressure to propel a vehicle. It works by firing lasers at a reflective material, such as a solar sail. The photons in the laser have energy and momentum, and when they bounce off the reflective surface, they transfer a small amount of kinetic energy to it.
Photonic propulsion has the potential to reach near light speeds. It is considered one of the best available interstellar propulsion concepts because it is based on established physics and technologies.
The basic concepts for a photon-propelled "sail" propulsion system were developed by Eugene Sanger and the Hungarian physicist György Marx.
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