One NASA scientist is working on his concept whereby spacecraft would be able to “hitch” rides on comets into deep space, which means it would use no fuel yet travel at almost twice the speeds achieved through available technologies today.

One NASA scientist believes it may be possible to “hitch” rides on comets to travel around the solar system.

In a written proposal, Masahiro Ono envisions that a spacecraft could be able to attach itself to a comet with a carbon nanotube tether and use that to pull it along.

He likens this to a fisherman hooking a big, powerful fish and being propelled through the water like a towing mechanism.

Ono estimates that by harnessing a comet’s energy, the spacecraft could travel at almost twice the speeds they do today without using fuel.

Under these conditions, for example, he calculates that Pluto could be reached in about five-and-a-half years.

Such speeds needed for deep space exploration would not be possible technologically or cost-wise using c