Calculating Energy Requirements for a Solar Sails Satellite Orbiting the Sun

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In summary: Even if you had enough energy to reach 50% of the speed of light, the sails would only be able to propel you at about 1% of the speed of light.
  • #1
Intuitive
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If we have a 1 pound Satellite with Solar Sails orbiting the Sun reflecting Energy through Solar Pressure from the Sun at a safe distance, (How much would the total Energy be) to reach 50% the speed of Light and (how big would the Solar Sails need to be) to reach this Velocity in exactly 1 Year.:bugeye:

also, Is there any Data on stepping up this process with added EMP's vs. a Highly Diamagnetic Solar Sail?
 
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  • #2
Intuitive said:
If we have a 1 pound Satellite with Solar Sails orbiting the Sun reflecting Energy through Solar Pressure from the Sun at a safe distance, (How much would the total Energy be) to reach 50% the speed of Light and (how big would the Solar Sails need to be) to reach this Velocity in exactly 1 Year.:bugeye:

also, Is there any Data on stepping up this process with added EMP's vs. a Highly Diamagnetic Solar Sail?

Well, the energy required is easy, E=(1/2)m*v^2

For the rest of it, you're on your own...
 
  • #3
Yikes, I was thinking about it and as the satellite gained speed, it's orbit would have to decrease in distance from the sun (to retain a stable orbit), and because the distance would be decreasing, the energy hitting the sails would be increasing... helping you acceleration I suppose but would you hit 0.5C before you got too close to the sun?

Mercury orbits at 47.89 km/s, MUCH slower than C which is about 300 km/s (1/6260 C) to be exact, so for 0.5 C the orbital distance would have to be 1/3130 that of the orbital distance of Mercury... OUCH. That would mean instead of 57.9 million kilometers away you would only be 18500 km away, OR IN THE SUN since the diameter of the sun is about 1.4 million kilometers...

I think I may have discovered a problem with this... Basically, you can't have a stable orbit of 0.5C around our sun... but perhaps a black hole or very small neutron star?

Perhaps an eccentric orbit like a comet where at your minimum distance you hit 0.5C... no that wouldn't work either.

I don't know, I don't think this could work, you couldn't achieve a stable orbit... somebody jump in if I'm wrong...
 
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  • #4
Well, I think for that reason, the satellite would spiral out of orbit. Solar sails don't work like sails on boats - the force is always directly away from the sun.

More info to go on, intuitive: at 1AU, the solar flux is about 1400 w/m^2.
 
  • #5
russ_watters said:
Well, I think for that reason, the satellite would spiral out of orbit. Solar sails don't work like sails on boats - the force is always directly away from the sun.

More info to go on, intuitive: at 1AU, the solar flux is about 1400 w/m^2.

All the more reason why I think linear Speed is not the answer to space travel.:bugeye:
 
  • #6
Intuitive said:
All the more reason why I think linear Speed is not the answer to space travel.:bugeye:

Well, solar sails are not a very good option for attaining a large linear speed anyway.
 

1. How is the energy requirement for a solar sail satellite determined?

The energy requirement for a solar sail satellite is determined by calculating the amount of solar radiation pressure on the sail and the distance the satellite needs to travel. This calculation takes into account the sail's surface area, the reflectivity of the sail material, and the mass of the satellite.

2. What is the role of solar radiation pressure in determining energy requirements?

Solar radiation pressure is the force exerted by photons from the sun on the surface of the sail. This force is what propels the satellite forward and determines the amount of energy required for its orbit. The greater the surface area of the sail and the closer the satellite is to the sun, the greater the amount of solar radiation pressure and the less energy required.

3. How does the distance from the sun affect the energy requirement for a solar sail satellite?

The closer the satellite is to the sun, the stronger the solar radiation pressure and the less energy is required for its orbit. However, as the satellite moves further away from the sun, the solar radiation pressure decreases and more energy is needed to maintain its orbit.

4. Can the energy requirement for a solar sail satellite be reduced?

Yes, the energy requirement for a solar sail satellite can be reduced by increasing the surface area of the sail, using more reflective materials, or by using advanced propulsion techniques such as laser or microwave beams to provide additional energy to the sail.

5. Are there any other factors that can affect the energy requirements for a solar sail satellite?

Other factors that can affect the energy requirements for a solar sail satellite include the shape and orientation of the sail, the efficiency of the sail's deployment mechanism, and the gravitational pull of other celestial bodies in the satellite's orbit.

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