The author argues that a satellite with solar sails, propelled through space by the force of solar light, could maintain its orbital position indefinitely. He has devised a new geostationary satellite, called sailsat, which does not need to be situated directly over the equator, because a solar sail maintains its orbit away from the equatorial plane. If a sailsat is launched into low Earth orbit then it can solar sail the rest of the way to its operational orbit, with considerable savings in launch costs.
Satellites ride the solar wind
Satelliten mit Sonnensegeln, die durch die Kraft des Sonnenlichtes angetrieben werden
Electronics World and Wireless World ; 97 , 1664 ; 519-520
1991
2 Seiten
Article (Journal)
English
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