Alternative Forms of Propulsion

I recently saw this episode of SciShow Space which showed an alternative form of propulsion that revolutionizes the way we think of traveling through space.  The common model in both science and science fiction has always been a burning fuel which ejects a flame out of the back of the ship, thus propelling it forward.  The one notable exception to this was Star Trek which just had a couple long beams held up behind the main saucer section.  I guess there was a glow on the back of the saucer section itself which was supposed to be part of the impulse drive, but even that didn’t really shoot any flames out the back, and didn’t look like it would be enough to propel the entire vessel.  There had to be something more that was moving it, and I always found that rather curious.

Now, it turns out, something like this might wind up being the future.  In this episode of SciShow Space, they talk about a Photonic propulsion system where the ship is propelled by lasers.  There is a whole science behind it involving mirrors and a lot of logistics that would have to be worked out before it becomes a reality, but it completely changes how we think of space flight.

It’s yet another example of how hard it is to write science fiction with some sense of science, because just as you think you have something fitting a possible future, your theories become outdated, and scientists start doing things completely differently.