Super Speedy Spacecraft

Spacecraft aren't slowpokes. But how fast could they go? Researchers are investigating a way to send a spacecraft soaring at speeds over 50,000,000 miles per hour. NASA 360 takes a look at the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) study called Self-Guided Beamed Propulsion, a revolutionary system for sending spacecraft out among the stars. This early-stage propulsion concept could drastically reduce the time required for long distance missions. Self-Guided Beamed Propulsion proposes to use a column of light and particles to propel a small spacecraft to speeds over 50 million miles per hour. To learn more visit: https://go.nasa.gov/360lmoc To watch the in-depth presentation about this topic please visit the 2019 NIAC Symposium Livestream site: https://bit.ly/2O9XaJ8 This video represents a research study within the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program. NIAC is a visionary and far-reaching aerospace program, one that has the potential to create breakthrough technologies for possible future space missions. However, such early stage technology developments may never become actual NASA missions.