In this recording of a live talk, John I. Davies of the Initiative & Institute for Interstellar Studies (i4is) explains i4is Project Glowworm – a near term low earth orbit demonstration of laser push technology. This is a first step to interstellar probes using that technology. John explains the motivation for this project, sets out the history of, and physical basis for, laser propulsion, summarises the alternative means of interstellar propulsion, outlines the planning for the probe and mentions some other i4is work including Project Lyra, planning probes to reach interstellar objects such as 1I/’Oumuamua.
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