2 ms·
Definitely a stupid question, because I actually have no idea how they work: can a solar sail be "tacked" so as to decelerate towards the sun, like a sailboat s
by tomjakubowski 5y ago
Definitely a stupid question, because I actually have no idea how they work: can a solar sail be "tacked" so as to decelerate towards the sun, like a sailboat sailing into the wind?
(Setting aside the risky problem of getting this waste off earth and into space to begin with)
- hutzlibu 5y agoI have not done any calculations now, but given how small the solar wind is in drag, it would have to be a very, very big sail.
- blackboxlogic 5y agoTacking works because boats have a second "sail" interacting with a second fluid moving differently than the wind (the keel is in the water). There's no second thing to push against in space. If you "tack" your solar sail, you'll spin.