Abstract
Solar sailing is emerging as a promising form of advanced spacecraft propulsion, which can enable exciting new space-science mission concepts. By exploiting the momentum transported by solar photons, solar sails can perform high-energy orbittransfer manoeuvres without the need for reaction mass. Missions such as planetary sample
return, multiple small-body rendezvous and fast missions to the outer Solar System can therefore be enabled with the use of only a modest launch vehicle. In addition, new families of highly non-Keplerian orbits have been identifed that are
unique to solar sails, and can enable new ways of performing space-science missions. While the opportunities presented by solar sailing are appealing, engineering challenges
are still to be solved before the technology comes to fruition.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 2989-3008 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Philosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
Volume | 361 |
Issue number | 1813 |
Early online date | 3 Nov 2003 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 15 Dec 2003 |
Keywords
- solar sailing
- solar photons
- spacecraft
- propulsion
- space
- space travel