All of these concepts work predominately as drag devices and thus are limited to velocities equal to the solar wind (~700 km/s), with only limited ability to generate force transverse to the local direction of the solar wind (i.e., lift). An interesting possibility to be explored is dynamic soaring: Exploiting the difference in wind speed in two different regions of space. Albatrosses and sailplanes are known to use this technique, circling in and out of regions of wind shear. Birch (JBIS, 1989) suggested such a technique could be used via a "MHD Wing" for interstellar travel applications, but did not explore the concept further.

A spacecraft with directional plasma wave antenna that imparts momentum onto the local interplanetary or interstellar medium, generating a force on the antenna (lift).