Solar Sail Acceleration: A vs B - Which is Faster? Find Out Now!

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the acceleration of two hypothetical spacecraft, A and B, both equipped with solar sails but propelled by different types of radiation: sunlight and gamma rays. Participants explore the implications of using these different radiation sources for propulsion, considering the effects on acceleration and maximum speed.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that gamma rays, being higher energy photons, provide greater impulse per photon compared to sunlight, potentially leading to greater acceleration for spacecraft B.
  • Others argue that the overall pressure exerted on the sails also depends on the number of photons hitting the sails per second, suggesting that intensity plays a crucial role in determining acceleration.
  • A participant questions whether spacecraft B will achieve a higher maximum speed due to the higher energy of the photons, while others challenge this assumption by noting that the number of photons is a critical factor.
  • One participant highlights that as the spacecraft move away from the photon source, they will receive less radiation, which could limit their acceleration over time.
  • Another participant raises a practical concern regarding the use of solar sails for travel to distant destinations, specifically how to decelerate upon arrival.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether spacecraft B will accelerate faster and achieve a higher maximum speed compared to spacecraft A. The discussion remains unresolved, with multiple competing perspectives on the factors influencing acceleration and maximum speed.

Contextual Notes

The discussion does not resolve the assumptions regarding the number of photons emitted by each radiation source or the implications of distance from the photon source on acceleration. Additionally, the practical challenges of using solar sails for deceleration are acknowledged but not fully explored.

Rob060870
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if you had two spacecraft which had a solar sail as its means of Propulsion A & B, and were both identical.

Spaceship A has light from the sun to push it along its way.

Spaceship B has only gamma rays to push it along.(both craft have the whole of their sail surface covered with their respective radiation)

now would spaceship A accelerate slower, faster or the same as spaceship B? and why?

i know that both forms of radiation of course travel at the speed of light but does the higher energies that gamma rays possesses hit the solar sail harder and make it accelerate quicker?

if any readers could enlighten me on this matter i would be most grateful.
 
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The impulse provided per photon would be greater for the higher energy (and higher momentum) gamma rays, but the overall pressure also depends on the number of photons reflected per second. So the radiation source that provides the greater intensity (power per unit area) will produce the most pressure.
 
Doc Al said:
The impulse provided per photon would be greater for the higher energy (and higher momentum) gamma rays, but the overall pressure also depends on the number of photons reflected per second. So the radiation source that provides the greater intensity (power per unit area) will produce the most pressure.

thankyou,
so then. . photon for photon the radiation with the higher energy will exert more pressure than the photon with lower energy.

meaning spaceship B will accelerate quicker, but does that mean that when both spacecraft max out, it will attain a faster total speed?. i would think that it does?
 
Rob060870 said:
so then. . photon for photon the radiation with the higher energy will exert more pressure than the photon with lower energy.
Right.

meaning spaceship B will accelerate quicker,
Not necessarily. (That would be true if each radiation source produced the same number of photons per second.)
but does that mean that when both spacecraft max out, it will attain a faster total speed?. i would think that it does?
Why would you think that?
 
i think that because if you had the same number of photons hitting the solar sails on craft A and craft B then the photons with the higher energy, ie. . B would hit the sail harder and eventually because of that attain a higher speed in the end?

what would be the reason for the spacecraft maxing out and attaining their top speed be?

it can't be friction of course as we are in a vacuum!,so as they both accelerate the energy pushing both craft are converted into mass so the craft with more energy pushing it will attain a faster speed. I am proberly barking up the wrong tree here but I am having a go lol!
 
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As the craft moves further away from the source of the photons, it will catch less and less light.
The amount of energy it can catch is finite.
 
Thats a very good point willem2!.

people are talking about using solar sails to travel to the outer reachies of our solar system, one problem with that one is-

How do you slow down when you arrive at your destination?
thanks
 
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