First Solar Sail Deployed by Japan

[thejdcole]

What's the big deal i hear you ask? Solar technology has been around for years. Yes that is true, but this isn't a solar cell, it doesn't generate power from the sun.

What this is, is a space craft which is completley powered by photons from the suns light hitting the 'sail' of the craft to make it move, much like sailing boats catch the wind to move, this craft catches the photons from the sun to move itself.

The way it does this is by using a 650 square foot sail, which is only 0.0003 inches thick (about the diameter of a red blood cell). This means it's large enough, but light enough to gain enough of the momentum from the light photons hitting it to generate movement.

So what's the big deal? Well, one problem with interstellar flight is the need for more fuel the further you wish to travel. But the more fuel you have the heavier you are and so eventually you will reach an equilibrium where the extra fuel gained is cancelled out by the weight gained because of it.

This solar sail eliminates this problem, and so offers the chance to be able to have controlled travel around the solar system, not reliant on slingshotting around planets.

But this shuttle is incredibly delicate, and personally i could see it getting ripped to shreds by space debris.

Either way i think that this is a big deal in space flight and shows the potential future in space flight.

Source: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/06/solar-sail-deployment/

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

It would very likely be ripped to shreds by space debris. There's a crapton floating around up there, thanks to us.

But that is damn cool. I'm sure it doesn't look like that, but I have an image of people windsurfing through space.

 

[Sonicron]

I suddenly feel the urge to pop in my DVD of Disney's "Treasure Planet". Which is a good thing.

 

[Cabisco]

I've watched Star Trek Deep space nine, this isn't anything new...

Ok it's new to the real world, i'll give you that. Also yes it's pretty awesome sounding and also opens up the option for in the future to become a captain of a solar ship and fight solar pirates. Damn solar pirates trying to steal my space gold.

 

[starhaven]

that is fucking fantasic it is likely to be riped apart but the fact that we have it is great all it needs now is to be made strong enough to wistand some hits

 

[crudus]

Ok great. Question: how do I get back to Earth with a solar sail? 2nd question: how does it stop?

Don't get me wrong, this is an awesome milestone and a great advancement. Those questions just need to be answered before I am totally sold on the idea.

 

[Mortons4ck]

Well, you probably wouldn't need the sails up all the time. Just enough to get accelerating fast enough. Remember, there isn't much friction in space.

 

[GrinningManiac]

Sweet

Mabye someday we'll return to the Golden Age of Sailing (1700s = Pirates n' shizz)

...BUT IN SPAAAAACE!!!

 

[Sworm]

Obligatory "JAPAN SUPERIOR!" post.

also, The ship featured in Avatar works with solar sail technology as well, just a FYI

and yes it's meant to accelerate to a defined speed at which point it will just cruise, that's how I understand it works anyway...

 

[Mortons4ck]

Obligatory "JAPAN SUPERIOR!" post.

All butter, no guns.

 

[thejdcole]

Ok great. Question: how do I get back to Earth with a solar sail? 2nd question: how does it stop?

Ok im gonna attempt to answer these questions, but I have little understanding myself.

1) I don't think they are supposed to be manned (yet) and so probably arent meant to go back to earth (like many sattelites). I think it's just meant to be able to travel away from the sun and gather information.

2)I have no idea, maybe it's not supposed to, although i suppose it could stop my zigzagging left and right (if it can steer, i'd assume it could by altering the angle of the sail). And so sweeping left and right could make it lose speed.

Another problem i do see with this is that it can only propel itself away from a light source, and so wouldn't be able to enter solar systems. Kind of like how you can't sail a ship into the wind, i'd assume its the same with this. Although i bet there is a way around it somehow.

*Edit* I guess they could gain enough momentum in one direction, then retract the sail. And essentially just drift into another solar system.

 

[chiefohara]

incredible... combine it with frozen suspension and you have the potential for the bulk of a manned flight to mars in a few decades.

 

[crudus]

Another problem i do see with this is that it can only propel itself away from a light source, and so wouldn't be able to enter solar systems.

Kind what I was implying when I asked how does it get back to Earth. I am fine with this being an unmanned exploration device but ultimately we are going to have to get off of Earth at some point.

 

[Halceon]

Ok great. Question: how do I get back to Earth with a solar sail? 2nd question: how does it stop?

Ok im gonna attempt to answer these questions, but I have little understanding myself.

1) I don't think they are supposed to be manned (yet) and so probably arent meant to go back to earth (like many sattelites). I think it's just meant to be able to travel away from the sun and gather information.

2)I have no idea, maybe it's not supposed to, although i suppose it could stop my zigzagging left and right (if it can steer, i'd assume it could by altering the angle of the sail). And so sweeping left and right could make it lose speed.

Another problem i do see with this is that it can only propel itself away from a light source, and so wouldn't be able to enter solar systems. Kind of like how you can't sail a ship into the wind, i'd assume its the same with this. Although i bet there is a way around it somehow.

*Edit* I guess they could gain enough momentum in one direction, then retract the sail. And essentially just drift into another solar system.

Getting back to earth might be accomplished by good old slingshotting - gain speed, get close to Jupiter and get shot back home. After that it's just a question of deploying the sail at the right moment to not crash into or miss Earth.

As for stopping - if you're already moving towards the sun, then there's realy no problem. In the other direction it's going to be quite a bit harder. The zigzagging you mention won't work, because it relies on friction. In effect you'd just be adding some perpendicular acceleration without affecting the actual speed forward. What can be done is either bringing breaking fuel along, which is still better than fully-fuelled crafts, or reversing and trying to use the light reflected from your target. The last method has the downside, that your target is usually a lot smaller and a lot darker than the sun.