The termination shock, at the centre of this diagram, is where the solar wind first reaches interstellar space SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
A spacecraft that crosses the boundary of plasma at the edge of our solar system could be boosted to the extreme speeds necessary for interstellar travel using a similar principle to how an albatross maintains flight on Earth.
The idea is an extension of a solar sail, which uses a large, reflective surface to “ride” the stream of particles being emitted by the sun, gradually increasing in speed over time as particles hit the sail.
Mathias Larrouturou at McGill…
