Abstract The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a novel, efficient propellantless propulsion concept which utilises the natural solar wind for spacecraft propulsion with the help of long centrifugally stretched charged tethers. The E-sail requires auxiliary propulsion applied to the tips of the main tethers for creating the initial angular momentum and possibly for modifying the spinrate later during flight to counteract the orbital Coriolis effect and possibly for mission specific reasons. We introduce the possibility of implementing the required auxiliary propulsion by small photonic blades (small radiation pressure solar sails). The blades would be stretched centrifugally. We look into two concepts, one with and one without auxiliary tethers. The use of small photonic sails has the benefit of providing sufficient spin modification capability for any E-sail mission while keeping the technology fully propellantless. We conclude that small photonic sails appear to be a feasible and attractive solution to E-sail spinrate control.

    Highlights ► We propose a new technical variant of electric solar wind sail propulsion. ► We propose using small photonic blades for controlling the electric sail spin. ► Using photonic blades appears technically feasible and attractive. ► Propellantless photonic blades suit well with the propellantless electric sail.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Photonic spin control for solar wind electric sail


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 83 ; 85-90


    Publication date :

    2012-10-08


    Size :

    6 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English




    Photonic spin control for solar wind electric sail

    Janhunen, Pekka | Online Contents | 2013



    Spin Plane Control and Thrust Vectoring of Electric Solar Wind Sail

    Toivanen, Petri K. / Janhunen, Pekka | AIAA | 2012


    Electric sail displaced orbit control with solar wind uncertainties

    Niccolai, Lorenzo / Anderlini, Alessandro / Mengali, Giovanni et al. | Elsevier | 2019


    Possible Trajectories for Electric Solar Wind Sail Validation

    Niccolai, Lorenzo / Quarta, Alessandro A. / Mengali, Giovanni et al. | Springer Verlag | 2019