Texas A&M researchers achieve 3D laser control of microscopic metajets

7 articles · Updated · Universe Today · Apr 28

The team demonstrated full three-dimensional maneuverability of metajets in the laboratory using only a laser beam and nanoscale-patterned materials.
This breakthrough enables precise steering and lifting of tiny devices without physical contact, overcoming previous limitations in light-based propulsion for space travel.
If scaled up, the technology could one day enable wafer-thin spacecraft to reach Alpha Centauri in twenty years, marking a significant step toward practical interstellar exploration.

Beyond starships, could this light-propulsion technology create microscopic robots to perform surgery inside our bodies?

How can a laser beam maintain perfect aim on a tiny probe trillions of miles away?

Could laser-pushed 'metajets' truly reach Alpha Centauri, or will interstellar dust obliterate them first?

Is the colossal energy needed for a planet-sized laser the real barrier to interstellar travel?

With propulsion advancing, is creating effective shielding now the biggest hurdle for a starship mission?

If we reach Alpha Centauri in 20 years, how do we slow down the spacecraft?