Editing Starwisp (section)

== Technical problems ==

A major problem this design would face would be the radiation encountered en route. Travelling at 20% of [[Speed of light|light speed]], ordinary interstellar hydrogen would become a significant radiation hazard, and the Starwisp would be without shielding and likely without active self-repair capability. Another problem would be keeping the acceleration of the Starwisp uniform enough across its sail area so that its delicate wires would not tear or be twisted out of shape. Distorting the shape of the Starwisp even slightly could result in a runaway catastrophe, since one portion of the Starwisp would be reflecting microwaves in a different direction than the other portion and be thrust even farther out of shape. Such delicate and finely-balanced control may prove impossible to realize.

The possibility of using a [[dusty plasma]] sail{{fact|date=July 2018}} in which a dusty substance that is maintained as a plasma within space is responsible for the reflection of electromagnetic radiation could circumvent problems associated with radiation damage to the medium responsible for the transfer of [[radiation pressure]] (the dusty plasma sail might not be as easy to damage as a thin film or the like). Dusty plasma sails can also adapt their three-dimensional structure in real time to ensure reflection perpendicular to any incident light/microwave beam.