Application of Pyramids to the Focus of Energy Upon a Solar Sail

[Note: This article was originally posted on the blog 'Luck-e Jake']

While reading about solar sails, the notion presented by Robert Froward, of using two beam-powered propulsion schemes using lasers to push solar sails struck me as interesting, though complex.  Given that the pyramids (described in my previous paper) were reflective and provided the means to focus multiple observers viewpoints upon a single point in space from multiple faces, it seemed to me that a system that projected a set of lasers to a point would be equally valid [1].

As the goal of the solar sail put forth by Froward was to be powered by a fixed laser beam of high energy (super lasers), the same objective could conceivably be achieved by focusing a number of low-energy lasers onto the reflective faces of a set of pyramids, with the focal point merging on a solar sail in space.  Where the lasers are directed to converge would contain their net energy.

A distributed system of low-energy lasers operating at the base of a pyramid would appear to lower operational risks.  Given a set of N lasers, each attached to positional devices/sensors, placed in close proximity to each other and in an inverted hemispherical configuration, such that the collection effectively used all the faces of, for the sake of example, two pyramids.

Such a configuration could be used to create a laser with a net energy of the union of the beams at a point of convergence, by virtue of the same math to find the point of intersection of an object on a point in the faces at a moment in time (see description of the math.)  Were the union of the beams focused upon a solar sail, they could conceivably provide power.  Though, it all sounds pretty complex, it might make a good ground-based weapon to at least protect earth from flying rocks.  Especially since the distributed beams would have less net effect upon the atmosphere, while preserving the desired impact at the focal point.

[1] More reasonably(?), solar energy would appear to be an equally valid source of energy to focus to a point (for free-energy generation on earth as well as interstellar travel.)  It would seem to be possible to collect and project radiant energy from the sun, through a satellite (or several as repeaters?), to a solar sail, by projecting the radiant energy to a distant point.  In a similar manner, 1-n satellites could transmit radiant energy to a focal point from the sun continuously to earth.  Each ray could be controlled such that the radiant energy would be maintained below a threshold to ensure the atmosphere isn't altered, but the energy from the net of all rays would be sufficient to provide constant energy.

While the author is outside his area of expertise, the point is to highlight the utility of being able to focus energy to a point in space using the methods originally used so long ago by the designers of the pyramids of Egypt.