"Big John" wrote in message
...
---------News Release----------

NASA RESEARCH TEAM SUCCESSFULLY FLIES FIRST LASER-POWERED AIRCRAFT

9 October 2003

Release 03-54


Ever since the dawn of powered fl;ight, it has been necessary for all
aircraft to carry fuel on board, whether in the form of batteries,
fuel, solar cells, or even human "engine", in order to stay aloft.

A team of researchers from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in
Huntsville, AL, NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, CA
and the U of Alabama in Huntsville is trying to change that.

They have now chalked up a major accomplishment, and a "first". The
team has developed and demonstrated a small-scale aircraft that flies
solely by means of propulsive power delivered by an invisible,
ground-based laser. The laser tracks the aircraft in flight, directing
its energy beam at specially designated photovoltaic cells carried on
board to power the plane's propeller.

snip
Laser power beaming is a promising technology for future development
of aircraft design and operations. The concept supports NASA's
mission-critical goals for the deve;lopment of revolutionary aerospace
technologies


end


How long before they scale this technology up to man carrying size?


Big John

Seems to me, the goal of this program and a man carrying craft a greatly
different. A laser craft as demonstrated here, is designed to circle one
area, and provide recon. or relay signals. A man carrying craft wants to go
somewhere, and take it away from the power source.

Ground support would be a huge issue. Also, what happens when a bird or
another airplane strays into a beam powerful enough to keep a large airplane
in the air? Vaporize part of it? Blind the pilot?
--
Jim in NC