Re: Calling Isaac Newton...
See "The Flight Of The Dragonfly" by Robert L Forward for a way to use lasers in the solar system to brake the interstellar craft as it arrives at the target star.
Basically the spacecraft is attached to a flat, circular lightsail thats surrounded by a much larger, slightly concave, annular sail. The combined sail is used for launch. On arrival the spacecraft and its light sail separate from the annular sail and the lasers are turned on again. The large sail focuses the light it receives on the far side of the small sail, which slows the spacecraft down while the big sail continues to accelerate past the target stellar system. This is strictly a one-way trip.
The book describes the system in some detail and gives the dimensions, masses and laser power requirements as part of the story. Worth a read if you want to understand how this type of system might work.
See also "The Mote in God's Eye" by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle", this time using the light sail and light from the destination's star as the brake.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
