Overnight to Mars

the question, as always is whether speed is worth the extra fuel: if you have to accelerate and decelerate for longer, that means you have less room for payload.
 
Crossbow said:
Well I am not sure that such a system is well suited for humans travelling to Mars since conventional rockets will still be needed for the return trip back to Earth.

However, perhaps this new propulsion system could work quite well for sending robotic explorers to Mars and/or sending supplies to humans who may be on Mars.
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How difficult would it be to send a laser to mars orbit to power a return flight?

I also wonder whether the system could be bi-directional, does the heated fuel have to vent in the same direction as the laser is coming in? Could the fuel vent in the opposite direction so it can slow the craft and allow return flight? The idea of relying on atmospheric breaking seems unrealistic. I am not sure if they envisage a direct landing or whether they think atmospheric breaking would be sufficient to allow the craft to then enter Mars orbit.

My model has been to place the return vessel / engine, Mars orbiter and Mars lander in place before the manned mission, then launch a rapid transit vessel which only needs to carry people, because everything else is already in place. This system might help, because you would only need a 'conventional' rocket for breaking into Mars orbit with the propulsion away from earth being externally delivered.
 
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