Uploaded May 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Solar Sail Space Travel
Currently, solar sails are a promising new method of space travel, due to the fact that the crafts can operate without the use of heavy and non-renewable fuel. However, major limitations in materials impede the progress of this technology from granting humanity access to the far reaches of our solar system and beyond.
Solar Sails work by using a very large, reflective surface to reflect the particles emitted by the sun, known as the “solar wind”, much like a ship’s sail catches the wind (Landis). This thrust supplied by a star’s photons acts constantly, thus increasing the velocity of the craft continuously over a large time period. Therefore, the main materials of interest with respect to solar sails are those that make up the sail component of the craft. Most solar sails are designed with two layers constituting the sails - the reflectance and emissivity layers (Landis). The material needed for these two layers must be lightweight so as to not impede the acceleration of the craft, as well as highly reflective for the reflection layer and highly emissive of light for the emissivity layer. In order to make traveling larger distances feasible, the sail must be very large. for example, a recent planned solar sail test was intending to use a sail that was 1200 square meters. Due to the necessary area, it is of the utmost importance that the sail be as thin and light as possible, while maintaining the desired structure. A typical solar sail has a thickness on the micrometer scale, thus requiring a very hardy material even at such small thicknesses. Current solar sails use a 2 micrometer thin aluminized kapton film, due to its high reflectivity and heat resistance (Jith). Properly processed Kapton is an ideal material for solar sails due to its high tensile strength, low density, and long life under the heavy UV radiation emitted by the sun.
Works Cited
"Chapter 30." Carbon Nanotube Membrane Solar Sails A Challenge for Extremely Fast Space Flight. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Davis, H.T. "Problems and Solutions in the Fabrication of H-Film (Kapton) Flexible Circuits." Martin Company (1965). Print.
McInnes, C., Eiden, M., Groepper, P., & Peacock, T. (2001, November 1). Solar Sailing – Mission Opportunities and Innovative Technology Demonstration. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet108/chapter6_bul108.pdf
McInnes, Colin Robert. Solar Sailing: Technology, Dynamics, and Mission Applications. London: Springer, 1999. Print.
"Polymer | Chemistry." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 June 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Ratta, V. "Polymides: Chemistry & Structure-Property Relationships - Literature Review." Virginia Tech, 1999. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http:/scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-051799-162256/unrestricted/polyimide1.pdf
Ryba, J. (Ed.). (2013, May 21). Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/information/shuttle_faq.html
"Solar Sails." LunarSail. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .
"Summary of Properties of Kapton Polymide Films." DuPont. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. dupont.com/content/dam/assets/products-and-services/membranes-films/assets/DEC-Kapton-summary-of-properties.pdf
Landis, Geoffrey. "Advanced Solar- and Laser-pushed Lightsail Concepts." NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, 31 May 1999. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Tacking Solar Sails." SolarSailWiki. 30 June 2009. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Polyimide." Polyimide. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. http://www.mit.edu/~6.777/matprops/polyimide.htm.
Division, Esa/estec Publications. "Solar Sailing – Mission Opportunities and Innovative Technology Demonstration." ESA Bulletin 108 (n.d.): n. pag. ESA. Nov. 2001. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet108/chapter6_bul108.pdf.
Wall, Mike. "First Interstellar Spacecraft May Use Texas-Size Solar Sail | Space.com." Space. N.p., 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. space.com/20169-interstellar-spaceflight-solar-sail.html.
Solar Sail Space Travel
Currently, solar sails are a promising new method of space travel, due to the fact that the crafts can operate without the use of heavy and non-renewable fuel. However, major limitations in materials impede the progress of this technology from granting humanity access to the far reaches of our solar system and beyond.
Solar Sails work by using a very large, reflective surface to reflect the particles emitted by the sun, known as the “solar wind”, much like a ship’s sail catches the wind (Landis). This thrust supplied by a star’s photons acts constantly, thus increasing the velocity of the craft continuously over a large time period. Therefore, the main materials of interest with respect to solar sails are those that make up the sail component of the craft. Most solar sails are designed with two layers constituting the sails - the reflectance and emissivity layers (Landis). The material needed for these two layers must be lightweight so as to not impede the acceleration of the craft, as well as highly reflective for the reflection layer and highly emissive of light for the emissivity layer. In order to make traveling larger distances feasible, the sail must be very large. for example, a recent planned solar sail test was intending to use a sail that was 1200 square meters. Due to the necessary area, it is of the utmost importance that the sail be as thin and light as possible, while maintaining the desired structure. A typical solar sail has a thickness on the micrometer scale, thus requiring a very hardy material even at such small thicknesses. Current solar sails use a 2 micrometer thin aluminized kapton film, due to its high reflectivity and heat resistance (Jith). Properly processed Kapton is an ideal material for solar sails due to its high tensile strength, low density, and long life under the heavy UV radiation emitted by the sun.
Works Cited
"Chapter 30." Carbon Nanotube Membrane Solar Sails A Challenge for Extremely Fast Space Flight. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
Davis, H.T. "Problems and Solutions in the Fabrication of H-Film (Kapton) Flexible Circuits." Martin Company (1965). Print.
McInnes, C., Eiden, M., Groepper, P., & Peacock, T. (2001, November 1). Solar Sailing – Mission Opportunities and Innovative Technology Demonstration. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet108/chapter6_bul108.pdf
McInnes, Colin Robert. Solar Sailing: Technology, Dynamics, and Mission Applications. London: Springer, 1999. Print.
"Polymer | Chemistry." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 June 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2015.
Ratta, V. "Polymides: Chemistry & Structure-Property Relationships - Literature Review." Virginia Tech, 1999. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http:/scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-051799-162256/unrestricted/polyimide1.pdf
Ryba, J. (Ed.). (2013, May 21). Space Shuttle and International Space Station. Retrieved April 16, 2015, from nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/information/shuttle_faq.html
"Solar Sails." LunarSail. Web. 26 Apr. 2015. .
"Summary of Properties of Kapton Polymide Films." DuPont. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. dupont.com/content/dam/assets/products-and-services/membranes-films/assets/DEC-Kapton-summary-of-properties.pdf
Landis, Geoffrey. "Advanced Solar- and Laser-pushed Lightsail Concepts." NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts, 31 May 1999. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Tacking Solar Sails." SolarSailWiki. 30 June 2009. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.
"Polyimide." Polyimide. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. http://www.mit.edu/~6.777/matprops/polyimide.htm.
Division, Esa/estec Publications. "Solar Sailing – Mission Opportunities and Innovative Technology Demonstration." ESA Bulletin 108 (n.d.): n. pag. ESA. Nov. 2001. Web. 17 Apr. 2015. http://www.esa.int/esapub/bulletin/bullet108/chapter6_bul108.pdf.
Wall, Mike. "First Interstellar Spacecraft May Use Texas-Size Solar Sail | Space.com." Space. N.p., 12 Mar. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2015. space.com/20169-interstellar-spaceflight-solar-sail.html.
