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NASA Successfully Flies First Laser-powered Aircraft | SpaceRef - Your Space Reference: "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 designed photovoltaic cells carried onboard to power the plane's propeller.
'The craft could keep flying as long as the energy source, in this case the laser beam, is uninterrupted,' said Robert Burdine, Marshall's laser project manager for the test. 'This is the first time that we know of that a plane has been powered only by the energy of laser light. It really is a groundbreaking development for aviation.'"
jaynote: I don't find this that much of an advance, but it's a neat demoand may lead to the precursors of laser powered rockets.

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