Can a spaceship be powered solely by solar energy?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the feasibility of powering a spaceship solely with solar energy, exploring the implications for space exploration, energy requirements, and the practicality of solar panels in space travel. Participants consider various aspects including energy efficiency, propulsion methods, and the potential for reduced costs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants question the practicality of using solar power for a moon mission, citing the significant energy requirements (around 1 TJ) and the need for extensive solar panel area (acres) to generate sufficient power.
  • There is a challenge to the assumption that renewable energy would inherently increase the efficiency of a rocket, with some arguing that the weight and cost of solar panels complicate this notion.
  • One participant mentions that while solar-powered spacecraft exist, they are not viable for short trips like those to the moon due to low power-to-weight ratios.
  • Another participant suggests that electrical propulsion is currently impractical and that alternative methods, such as nuclear reactors, might be more feasible for propulsion needs.
  • Proposals for solar-powered propulsion systems exist, but some participants express skepticism about their development and practical application in the near future.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility and practicality of solar power for space travel, with no consensus reached on whether it can effectively power a spaceship for missions like a trip to the moon.

Contextual Notes

The discussion highlights limitations related to assumptions about energy efficiency, the weight of solar panels, and the practicality of current propulsion technologies. There are unresolved questions about the overall cost and feasibility of solar-powered spacecraft.

Mayed Al-Tunaiji
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Hello, PF. So I was wondering if it's possible to power a spaceship by solar power only. If so how big will the solar panels be? Where would they be installed? How long will it take for them to fully charge in order to travel a certain distance? between Earth and the moon for instance.
 
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Mayed Al-Tunaiji said:
Building such a rocket could revolutionize space exploration since the mass will be reduced significantly along with the cost of building a spacecraft .

That's an unfounded claim.

A moon shot takes in the ballpark of 1 TJ of energy. The solar constant is in the ballpark of 1 kW/m2. So you need acres upon acres of solar panels. Which you then have to lift, which requires more energy, which requires more solar panels, and so on and so on.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
That's an unfounded claim.

A moon shot takes in the ballpark of 1 TJ of energy. The solar constant is in the ballpark of 1 kW/m2. So you need acres upon acres of solar panels. Which you then have to lift, which requires more energy, which requires more solar panels, and so on and so on.
Sorry but I thought that using renewable energy is going to increase the efficiency of the rocket.
 
Mayed Al-Tunaiji said:
Sorry but I thought that using renewable energy is going to increase the efficiency of the rocket.
No, "efficiency" is not a relevant concept when discussing different energy sources and wasn't what you posited anyway: you speculated about COST, making the classic solar energy mistake that assuming since the source energy is free that the total lifetime cost of the system will be lower. It doesn't follow...and the cost follows the weight issue. So you're basically assuming that solar panels are approximately free and weigh approximately nothing.

In any case, such spacecraft do exist on a weaker scale: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_( spacecraft )

They have high propulsive efficiency, but low power to weight ratios, so they are never going to be viable for a trip to the moon. For very long trips they collect a lot of energy, which is where they provide a lot of benefit.
 
First you would need some form of electrical propulsion which currently isn't very practical. You would also still need fuel to get into orbit. A nuclear reactor would probably be more practical given you have a good source of propulsion that only uses electricity.
 
Proposals like in the Asteroid Retrieval Feasibility Study by Keck Institute for Space Studies are based on solar powered propulsion but it sounds like a case of "if or when someone else does the development work".
 

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