Issue (WIWE) status: Submitted, Unpublished

Wild Card's progress: Fully-fledged

This Wild Card came from: 
Scientists/researchers

The source of this Wild Card: 
"Ascending to the Stars on a Beam of Light" http://discovermagazine.com/2010/jul-aug/28-launching-on-a-beam-of-light/article_print

Likelihood timeframe and scenario features : 
now-2025

Wild Card's description: 

New space propulsion technology (not based on chemical rockets) enables a dramatic reduction of the cost per pound required to get a satellite into orbit or to propel a spacecraft to its destination in space This is achieved because there is no need anymore to carry the fuel with the rocket. Instead, the energy for propulsion is supplied from the ground (e.g. laser beams) or from space (e,g solar sail).