The patents of Ferris Eugene Alger.

US2972697A - Molecular beam apparatus of the maser type - Google Patents Just in case you were wondering who this is he was listed in Guiness for having the worlds highest IQ of 197. I believe he is the basis of the character Happy on the TV show Scorpion. The patent describes a MASER that works in space. It looks like this was the first Star Wars type patent.