The United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration is working on a photonic propulsion system that could send astronauts to Mars in just three days. The system uses the momentum of light particles to propel a spacecraft. The technology currently available with the space agency allows astronauts to reach the Red Planet from Earth in five months, reported IANS.

NASA scientist Philip Lubin is working on a design that will use giant Earth-based lasers instead of photons from the Sun's rays to propel a spacecraft. “There are recent advances that take this from science fiction to science reality. There is no known reason why we cannot do this,” Lubin said. According to his calculations, photonic propulsion can get a 100-kg robotic spacecraft with large reflective sails to Mars in just three days.

Despite not having any mass, particles of light have both energy and momentum. When they reflect off an object, that momentum is transferred into a little push. The scientist said it is possible to generate enough momentum to push a spacecraft by using large reflective sails on the rocket. NASA is currently building the world's most powerful space shuttle, Space Launch System, to take humans to Mars.