/sci/ - Science & Math

>>15436030
So added complexity that doesn't address the fundamental problem of spaceflight, which of course is cost. Let me create for you a short list of realistic near future spacecraft:

>Power sails feeding EP ships with much faster acceleration vs. conventional designs
>Mag sails, possibly with artificial magnetospheres installed near planets without one
>Laser electric and laser thermal, both have high upfront costs but very low marginal costs, an interplanetary highway can be achieved. This is near end game technology unless antimatter becomes readily available, can do interstellar missions that span only a couple decades instead of a human lifetime or more
>Sundiver style photon sails for deepspace flyby missions and out to the solar gravitational lens point
>QI thrusters(joking)
>Slowboating with chemical and depots all over the place, autonomous ISRU and resupply


That's it, if the propulsion isn't on this list it's either niche or a meme.