SOLAR SAILS

A Novel Approach to Interplanetary Travel

Giovanni Vulpetti, Les Johnson and Gregory L. Matloff

Space Sailing May Seem Like Science Fiction. . . But It Is Soon to Become a Reality

The first part of this book describes our heritage of exploration in water-borne sailing ships, then moves quickly into the details of space-vehicle propulsion. Space sailing, the authors point out, is "free," meaning it overcomes the problems inherent in having to carry along heavy, costly, and often dangerous propellants. Also discussed are advanced space-propulsion systems, such as nuclear, solar-electric, nuclear-electric and antimatter rockets. The second part of the book describes various sail systems using either sunlight or the "solar wind." Laser and microwave systems are also described, and the relative merits of each system are compared. The third major section describes the design, fabrication and steering challenges associated with solar sails - they are significant, but not insurmountable. Finally, a fourth section goes into details of space-sailing technology for the more technical reader. Solar Sails is filled with details sure to interest both novice space enthusiasts and those who are contemplating more advanced studies of the topic:

• Space sails are a "must" technology, since chemical and non-chemical rockets have severe limitations. Many future exploration objectives are simply impossible via rocket.
• Scientists and engineers have calculated that the scale of space sails for serious space missions may be stupendous: some of the designs that scientists have conceptualized range in area from one to tens, or many more, square kilometers.
• Since low mass and high-reflectivity are design essentials for space sails, these gossamer structures (ribbed or spinning) will have to take make use of some of the most revolutionary principles of materials science and design, including even nanotube-based and self-repairing membranes.
• Free of on-board propellants because they use the Sun’s pervasive and limitless energy, space sailing vehicles will make possible exotic and far-flung missions including solar storm monitoring, pole-sitting, planetary magnetoshpere exploration, and, in the long run, space mining, extrasolar probes, and even Oort cloud exploration.

Table of Contents

Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments

I Space Engines: Past and Present

1. Historical Introduction to Space Propulsion
2. The Rocket: How It Works in Space
3. Rocket Problems and Limitations
4. Non-Rocket In-Space Propulsion
5. The Solar-Sail Option: From the Oceans to Space


II Space Missions by Sail

6. Principles of Space Sailing
7. What Is a Space Sailcraft?
8. Sails Versus Rockets
9. Exploring and Developing Space by Sailcraft
10. Riding a Beam of Light


III Construction of Sailcraft

11. Designing a Solar Sail
12. Building a Sailcraft
13. Progress to Date
14. Future Plans


IV Space Sailing: Some Technical Aspects

15. Space Sources of Light
16. Modeling Thrust from Electromagnetic Radiation Pressure
17. Sailcraft Trajectories
18. Sails in the Space Environment

Glossary
Index

Extent: 264 pages with 8 page colour selection
Binding: CB & J
Publication Date: July 2008
ISBN: 978-0-387-34404-1

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