4 ms·
There would be a "unnatural" orbit where solar radiation pressure would cancel the mismatched orbit, I think. So the shades would stay in equilibrium in a bit
by raducu 7y ago
There would be a "unnatural" orbit where solar radiation pressure would cancel the mismatched orbit, I think.
So the shades would stay in equilibrium in a bit higher solar orbit than their velocity would permit without the light pressure.
- gbrown 7y agoI'm having trouble visualizing how this would be stable - from their reference frame (orbiting a Lagrange point), the pressure is coming unidirectionally. They'd be accelerated in one direction constantly, which seems like it couldn't possibly be stable.
- raducu 7y agoActually, you are right, I was talking as if the shades are just orbiting the Sun. L1 orbits do require station keeping. Perhaps you could cheat a bit by making the shades black or oscilating/slanting them a bit forward/rearwards as to do the station keeping with very little fuel? Or shaping them like a lense to direct most light away from Earth, but not to experience too much net force? Or they are just designed to be expendable?
- gpm 7y agoFor what it's worth, Wikipedia suggests making them shaped like a lens.