Solar sailing: mission applications and engineering challenges

Colin R. McInnes

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

32 Citations (Scopus)
58 Downloads (Pure)

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 languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2989-3008
Number of pages19
JournalPhilosophical Transactions A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences
Volume361
Issue number1813
Early online date3 Nov 2003
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Dec 2003

Keywords

  • solar sailing
  • solar photons
  • spacecraft
  • propulsion
  • space
  • space travel

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