His goal is to use ground-based lasers to propel objects into orbit; possibly reducing orbit-flight costs by large factors.

The Bush administration has conducted secret research that critics say could produce a powerful ground-based laser meant to shatter enemy satellites.

Official attention turned instead to giant ground-based lasers whose beams would be bounced off orbiting mirrors toward enemy targets.

Until they do, they can't use the ground-based laser as we have, that is, relaying the beam by orbiting mirror to a distant target.

They slagged down a satellite with the ground-based lasers at Dushanbe.

The satellite's orbit will allow the ground-based laser to fire at it about once a day.

The basic idea behind light propulsion is the use of ground-based lasers to heat air to the point that it explodes, propelling the spacecraft forward.

The satellite is also equipped with a laser retroreflector to enable tracking by ground-based lasers.

A ground-based laser can be reflected off the satellite, and light's return time measured to determine the round-trip distance.

A top intelligence official told reporters last August that China had used a ground-based laser to illuminate an American satellite.