Concept image. (Credit: NASA/Dr. Paul Stysley)

One of the cooler, yet practical devices in the various Star Trek series was the tractor beam: a beam of light that enabled the Enterprise to either tow disabled ships or push away objects. Now, it appears, NASA would like to make the tractor beam a reality.

Yesterday, the space agency announced that it has started funding research into three different approaches in the hopes that one of those approaches pan out into an actual, working tractor beam.

NASA's goals, however, are more modest than being able to tow other spaceships - there's no technology on the horizon for dragging anything that large, not even space junk. Instead, the purpose of the tractor beams would be to allow for easier sample collection by probes and rovers. For example, a probe flying through a comet could use a beam to capture dust from the comment instead of extending a scooper. By minimizing the mechanical risks, there's a better chance for a successful mission.

One interesting side effect I was thinking of is that if this were successful, and the eventual costs as low as NASA hopes they are, I wonder if this might not end up being applied to consumer technology? After all, if you can use a beam of light to gather dust into a Mars rover, why not a beam of light to suck dirt out of your carpet? Or to clean your air vents? It seems like there might be a variety of applications out in the world for this kind of technology.
