Project Forward was launched in 2011 with the purpose of exploring

beamed energy propulsion Beam-powered propulsion, also known as directed energy propulsion, is a class of aircraft or spacecraft propulsion that uses energy beamed to the spacecraft from a remote power plant to provide energy. The beam is typically either a microwave or a ...

. The project aims to analyze and assess past beamed-powered concepts, describe the construction of sail designs, and provide a starsail system concept. Challenges include lossy divergence of the beam as well as sail design at feasible sizes.

References

{{Reflist Hypothetical technology