Solar sails are a near term, low thrust, propellantless propulsion technology suitable for orbital maneuvering, station keeping, and attitude control applications for small payloads. Furthermore, these functions can be highly integrated, reducing mass, cost and complexity. The solar sail concept is based on momentum exchange with solar flux reflected from a large, deployed thin membrane. Thrust performance increases as the square of the distance to the sun. In comparison to conventional chemical systems, there are missions where solar sails are vastly more and less economical. The less attractive applications involve large payloads, outer solar system transfers, and short trip times. However, for inclination changes and station keeping at locations requiring constant thrust, the solar sail is the only economical option for missions of more than a few weeks duration. We compare the location and energies required for these applications between solar sails, advanced electric propulsion, and conventional rockets. We address the effect on mass fraction to understand solar sail mission cost and capability. Finally, the benefit of potential applications to near term science missions is reported.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Places Only Sails Can Go



    Conference:

    AIAA/ICAS International Air and Space Symposium and Exposition: The Next 100 Years ; 2003 ; Dayton, OH, United States


    Publication date :

    2003-04-01


    Type of media :

    Preprint


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Places Only Sails Can Go

    E. E. Montgomery / A. F. Heaton / G. P. Garbe | NTIS | 2003


    From Solar Sails to Laser Sails

    Johnson, Les / Montgomery, Edward E. | NTRS | 2017


    Sails

    Howard-Williams, Jeremy | TIBKAT | 1988


    Windmill sails

    Burne, E.L. / Russell, J. / Wailes, R. | Engineering Index Backfile | 1945


    Solar Sails

    Johnson, Les | NTRS | 2018