Star Wars is arguably more science fantasy than science fiction, but the franchise has nonetheless gone on to influence everything we want to see in our sci-fi films. We want space weapons that look like blasters and lightsabers, and if we ever get the technology to build a small, effective starfighter, we’re going to want it to look like an X-Wing. But if we really had the means to make one of these ships, how would we do it?
In my latest Because Science, I’m looking at the propulsion technology that could have us blasting from Hoth to Dagobah. What’s really keeping us out of cosmic dogfights and interstellar TIE fighter hunts isn’t necessarily ship design or weaponry—we already have missiles and lasers. No, what’s really keeping us out of the Rogue squadron is the propulsion technology. We need to create engines that have the look, thrust, and size to match an X-Wing’s performance.
So where do we start?
There are many rocket designs that we could chose from: chemical, ion, nuclear pulse, nuclear fusion, antimatter…but not all of them will meet our criteria. After you watch the new episode above, check out my last video on where the best place to stab a zombie is, subscribe to this playlist to stay current with the show, buy a Because Science shirt, mug, hat, or collectible pin, and follow me on Twitter to give me a suggestion for the next episode or on Instagram where I’m now posting extra mini-episodes!
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