A team of scientists from McGill University and the Tau Zero Foundation presented a project to accelerate the spacecraft during the takeoff phase. The results of the study were published in the journal Frontiers in Space Technology.

The development envisions the possibility of creating and using dynamic floating sails to power the spacecraft. It is inspired by the natural flight mechanisms of birds, which can cross air masses moving at different speeds.

Applying this concept to spaceflight involves creating a vehicle that can use a shock wave in turbulent regions of stellar winds. However, reaching a distant point such as the edge of the solar system requires a different type of energy.

The researchers hypothesize that the optimal solution would be a directional plasma wave antenna. The synthesis of these two technologies will help reach distant objects like Jupiter in months, not years.