Light-Powered ‘Metajets’ Could Revolutionize Interstellar Travel to Alpha Centauri

Researchers at Texas A&M University have demonstrated a new approach to light propulsion using micron-scale devices called “metajets” that can be lifted and steered by laser beams without physical contact. The breakthrough, detailed in a paper titled “Optical propulsion and levitation of metajets,” shows how metasurfaces — ultrathin materials etched with nanoscale patterns — can control the transfer of momentum from light to an object, enabling full three-dimensional maneuverability. This development could one day support interstellar missions to Alpha Centauri within roughly 20 years.

The metajets are composed of metasurfaces, which are engineered to shape how light behaves at microscopic scales. When laser light reflects off these surfaces, it transfers momentum in a manner analogous to ping pong balls bouncing off a surface, creating a small but measurable force. By precisely designing the metasurface patterns, researchers can control both the direction and magnitude of this force, allowing for controlled movement in multiple axes.

This breakthrough may one day enable travel to Alpha Centauri within roughly 20 years.

Dr. Shoufeng Lan, assistant professor and director of the Lab for Advanced Nanophotonics at Texas A&M University

To the team’s knowledge, this is the first demonstration of 3D maneuvering using this type of approach.

Texas A&M University research team

The research builds on concepts explored by initiatives like Breakthrough Starshot, which aims to send laser-propelled probes to Alpha Centauri within a generation. While that project has faced funding challenges, the Texas A&M team believes their metajet technology offers a more scalable path forward. By demonstrating precise optical control over tiny devices, the work addresses a key limitation in prior light-propulsion systems, which lacked the ability to steer objects in three dimensions.

Dr. Lan’s team published their findings in the journal Newton, highlighting how the metajets achieve levitation and directional control through optical forces alone. The devices operate at micron scale, suggesting potential for future scalability in spacecraft design. The researchers emphasize that the technology remains in early experimental stages, with significant engineering hurdles to overcome before practical interstellar applications become feasible.

The implications extend beyond deep space travel. Precise, contactless manipulation using light could influence fields such as micro-robotics, advanced manufacturing, and particle sorting, where non-invasive control at small scales is valuable. However, the primary focus of the current research remains demonstrating the viability of light-driven motion as a propulsion mechanism for long-duration space missions.

As of April 2026, the Texas A&M group continues to refine the metajet design, testing how variations in metasurface geometry affect thrust and stability under laser illumination. No timeline has been provided for scaling the technology to spacecraft-sized systems, and the team cautions that substantial advances in materials science, laser power systems, and space-based engineering will be required before missions to Alpha Centauri can be seriously considered.