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| Ever heard of a solar sail? (Page 1/3) |
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2.5
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APR 06, 10:43 PM
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I think its pretty cool.
"Solar sail
Solar sails are a method of spacecraft propulsion using radiation pressure exerted by sunlight on large mirrors. A number of spaceflight missions to test solar propulsion and navigation have been proposed since the 1980s. The first spacecraft to make use of the technology was IKAROS, launched in 2010. A useful analogy to solar sailing may be a sailing boat; the light exerting a force on the mirrors is akin to a sail being blown by the wind. High-energy laser beams could be used as an alternative light source to exert much greater force than would be possible using sunlight, a concept known as beam sailing. Solar sail craft offer the possibility of low-cost operations combined with long operating lifetimes. Since they have few moving parts and use no propellant, they can potentially be used numerous times for delivery of payloads. Solar sails use a phenomenon that has a proven, measured effect on astrodynamics.Wikipedia"
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ls3mach
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APR 07, 03:35 AM
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I had heard if it years ago. What I just read was more than I had any idea about. I honestly thought it was actual solar panels being used. Not mirrors.
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olejoedad
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APR 07, 11:26 AM
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Its been in SciFi novels since the 60's.
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Jake_Dragon
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APR 07, 11:44 AM
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Wasn't there a problem with this due to space debris destroying the sails.
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2.5
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APR 07, 12:08 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by Jake_Dragon:
Wasn't there a problem with this due to space debris destroying the sails. |
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I would think so.
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cvxjet
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APR 07, 12:28 PM
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Debris would be a problem in orbit around Earth- we keep slinging junk up there...and never cleaning up (Space janitor, anyone?) Outside of Earth's orbit it would not be as much a problem (The old TV shows/movies where they are constantly running into "Meteor Storms!!!" is basically BS)(Yes there is debris in space- but space is B-I-G...)
I remember two novels that had Solar sails; A) The original "Planet of the Apes" BOOK (At the beginning two (Civilized) apes are sailing in space and find some info that (Basically) tells the tale...
B) A Larry Niven- Jerry Pournelle novel, "The Mote in God's Eye" where aliens send a space ship to Earth via Sail and Laser beam.
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Jake_Dragon
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APR 07, 02:29 PM
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Its not the size of the debris. its the motion  even the smallest debris travelling at crazy fast velocity has the potential to create a lot of damage.
The more we know, the more we don't know. I hope the write it all down somewhere safe.
Each day the earth gets smaller and smaller. IF we can stop killing each other long enough.
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rinselberg
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APR 08, 11:47 AM
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Solar Cruiser is a NASA mission, currently projected to launch in 2025, to station a satellite in orbit around the sun. The Solar Cruiser satellite's solar sail will unfold to create a sunlight-propelled surface area of more than 6 standard-sized tennis courts combined. When launched it will become the largest solar sail ever used to propel a spacecraft.
~ Planetary Society.
There's a few paragraphs describing the Solar Cruiser spacecraft and mission at Gunter's Space Page (where else?) with two photo-like depictions of the spacecraft.
https://space.skyrocket.de/...at/solar-cruiser.htm[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 04-08-2022).]
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TheDigitalAlchemist
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APR 08, 11:54 AM
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If still a viable concept, future ships would have several redundant ones tucked away, and they would be self-repairing.
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cvxjet
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APR 08, 03:10 PM
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Being a complete smart-azz.....here is a sailing ship in space....
And here is a simulation of what a real Solar Sail would look like....
 [This message has been edited by cvxjet (edited 04-08-2022).]
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