A sailcraft is a type of spacecraft propelled by the physical pressure of photons striking a massive, ultrathin reflective membrane. Because it requires no onboard chemical or electrical propellant, a sailcraft can theoretically accelerate continuously as long as it is exposed to a light source, such as the sun or high-powered lasers. This makes the design highly attractive for long-duration deep space and interstellar missions.
Heard on the job
The sailcraft successfully deployed its mylar booms and is already showing a measurable delta-v from solar pressure.
Also heard as
- solar sailcraft