Solar Sail Propulsion For Exploring the Solar System

by Les Johnson (Infinite Frontiers Consulting, LLC, USA)

Thursday 30 Oct 2025, 14:00 → 15:00 Europe/Prague

Abstract: 

Imagine using sunlight to sail through space. Doing so is now possible using a solar sail. This exciting new type of space propulsion will enable small spacecraft to access propulsive-intense destinations, allowing observations of the Sun and deep space missions that are currently extremely difficult or impossible to achieve. The continuous photon pressure from the sun provides thrust, with no need for the heavy, expendable propellants employed by conventional on-board chemical and electric propulsion systems. NASA is developing solar sails ranging in size from 86 m^2 (for use by extremely small spacecraft) to as large as 2000 m^2 for spacecraft with masses up to 100 kg. The fundamentals of solar sailing will be described as will the exciting potential future missions they will enable: from those that help us better understand the sun to those that might one day allow us to send spacecraft to another star.

 

 

The seminar will be held in the A. Kochanovská hall, FZU, Pod Vodárenskou věží 1, Prague.

Location: https://goo.gl/maps/wEf7PsiLimSXMZhE9

 

The seminar will be also available via ZOOM video conference system:

Meeting ID: 674 9629 6646
Passcode: 575511

or join meeting via direct ZOOM link