Tyler Birch
11/19/15
Space Propulsion- Solar Sails
11/19/15
Space Propulsion- Solar Sails
How it creates propulsion
Solar sails are basically very large mirrors made of a light weight reflective material that reflects solar energy as a propellant. As solar photons hit the sails the bounce off, gently pushing it forward. Since the force is very light, the materials themselves have to be very lightweight. Although solar sails don't have as much immediate force they build up speed over time from the constant pressure of the photons. Essentially they bounce light particles off of the sail to push it forward.
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Main components
The main components of a solar sail are much lighter than a standard rockets materials. The material that makes up the sail's being tested by NASA is called CP-1, which is a material 100 times thinner than an average sheet of aluminum metal, and is very temperature resistant. There is also a private, non-profit group called the Planetary Society which is using sails that they say are 25% thinner than a plastic bag.
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Useful Situations
How energy is converted
amount of fuel needed
conclusion Questions
1. Explain how expansion of a fluid being propelled from the space vehicle is related to Newton’s Laws. Newtons third law states that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. So, a liquid being propelled one way, an action, is applying equal force in the other direction, a reaction, which lifts a rocket off the ground and into space.
2. Explain how life span of the vehicle is dependent on the amount of fuel it has and how quickly it is used.
If a vehicle uses fuel too quickly, then its life span is shorter as it will run out of fuel faster. Likewise, if a vehicle uses fuel slowly, it will last longer as it will have more fuel. If a vehicle has more fuel, it will last longer and if a vehicle has less fuel it will not last as long.
2. Explain how life span of the vehicle is dependent on the amount of fuel it has and how quickly it is used.
If a vehicle uses fuel too quickly, then its life span is shorter as it will run out of fuel faster. Likewise, if a vehicle uses fuel slowly, it will last longer as it will have more fuel. If a vehicle has more fuel, it will last longer and if a vehicle has less fuel it will not last as long.
Sources
http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-sail2.htm
http://sail.planetary.org/
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplorers/solar_sails.html
http://sail.planetary.org/
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/roboticexplorers/solar_sails.html