| Numerous booster stations in polar and equatorial orbits around Sol induce the deflection in 3 dimensions. The ship has to angle its mag-sail correctly also. In reality, beam rider navigation will be very complex and require coordination of numerous booster mass beam stations. Tracking stations using optical and doppler sensors, data from navigational systems aboard ship, computers that can determine the gravitational effects of various bodies in the solar system and effects of solar wind on the ship and the mass beams will aim the beams. It will not be possible to aim directly at the ship since we will only be able to see where it was light hours, days or light weeks ago; so the beams will be aimed at predicted position of ship allowing for the time mass beams take to travel across space also. The simple geometry illustrated above will not be enough because the actual course will have to allow for the effects of gravity from the galactic core and nearby stellar systems. Meanwhile, pods will be riding decel beams into the solar system. Beam rider navigation will be most complex. Perhaps there are brown dwarfs on the route from Sirius to Sol to Altair where space colony civilizations will emerge and passengers take pods to and from passing interstellar beam rider shuttles. |
