Origami-inspired Diffractive Sail for Directed Energy Propulsion

The goal of the proposed research is to develop an innovative directed-energy propulsion system, termed origami-inspired diffractive sail, for exploration across and beyond the solar system. Key innovations of the proposed concept lie in the use of origami-enabled, 3-D shaped diffractive sails to unlock the maximum potential of diffractive sail propulsion. The innovations will bring multitude of advantages over other similar systems, including significant increase in the producible thrust, photon recycling, passive beam-riding attitude stability, greater maneuver capability (torque/thrust control) via shape transformation, to name a few. The proposed technology has the potential to provide breakthrough propulsive capabilities for space travel and exploration, with unprecedented impacts on space sciences, enabling exploration of the outer solar system (e.g., Kuiper belt objects) and interstellar space (solar gravity lens and nearby stellar systems such as Alpha Centauri) within a human lifetime.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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