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The sails, which are extremely thin but strong membranes, are coated with aluminum or another highly reflective surface, so the light can bounce off the sail. The pressure provides a tiny amount of thrust, but it builds up over time. If the Voyager probes had solar sails, for example, they would have reached the outer edges of the solar system in about a decade, rather than the 30 years it has taken for them to reach their present locations, Montgomery said. "If you're going far away, the sail will eventually get you there sooner," he said. Solar sails are most useful where sunlight is strongest -- the inner solar system. With sails, satellites could change orbits, hover and steer themselves out of orbit upon completion of their missions to avoid becoming a hazard to other, still operational satellites. Rocket fuel for steering thrusters used on spacecraft today is a huge part of a satellite's weight and launch cost. Running out of fuel means the end of a satellite's mission. Then the probes typically linger for decades in orbit. "Solar sail propulsion, if it achieves its full promise, would enable fundamentally different space missions not feasible or even possible with conventional propellants," said NanoSail's lead scientist Mark Whorton. Related Links: |
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