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Beam-powered propulsion
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==Microwave propulsion== In microwave thermal propulsion, an external microwave beam is used to heat a refractory heat exchanger to >1,500 K, heating a propellant such as hydrogen, methane, or ammonia. This improves the propulsion system's specific impulse and thrust/weight ratio relative to conventional rocket propulsion. For example, hydrogen can provide a specific impulse of 700β900 seconds and a thrust/weight ratio of 50-150.<ref name="parkin">{{citation | last=Parkin | first=Kevin L.G. | title=The Microwave Thermal Thruster and Its Application to the Launch Problem | year=2006 | publisher=California Institute of Technology | doi=10.7907/T337-T709 | url=https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-06022006-160023}}</ref> A variation, developed by brothers [[James Benford]] and [[Gregory Benford]], is to use thermal [[desorption]] of propellant trapped in the material of a massive [[Solar sail|microwave sail]]. This produces a very high acceleration compared to microwave-pushed sails alone.
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