A solar sail is a form of spacecraft propulsion that relies on the momentum of photons striking a massive, ultra-thin mirror. As light bounces off the reflective material, it transfers a tiny but continuous amount of force to the spacecraft. Aerospace engineers develop these systems for deep space missions because they require no chemical propellant, allowing a craft to accelerate indefinitely as long as a light source is present.
Heard on the job
The deployment mechanism for the solar sail jammed during thermal vacuum testing, so we need to redesign the boom actuators.
Insider tip
A common misconception is that solar sails catch the solar wind like a ship catches a breeze; they actually run on the radiation pressure of light itself.
Also heard as
- light sail
- photon sail