The Future of Space Travel: Solar Sails Explained

Hi Spacecats, I'm Dr Maggie Lieu and welcome to my channel, where you can find all things space, astronomy and physics! In this video, we're diving deep into NASA's Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3), a technology that could revolutionize space travel as we know it, but is watchout for the plot twist at the end!

We'll explore how solar sails harness the power of sunlight for propulsion, the physics behind it, and the challenges and potential of this innovative technology. Plus, we'll discuss the recent deployment of ACS3's sails and what it means for the future of space exploration.

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Media credits:
ACS3 render: NASA/Aero Animation/Ben Schweighart

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[jimcabezola]

I recall the IKAROS mission by JAXA. That went out to Venus in 2010. Nice to see they haven't abandoned this idea. A physicist and science fiction witer called Dr. Robert L Forward got me enamoured to this concept in his SF books in the 1980s. Always nice to see solar sails plying the space lanes....

[HullioGQ]

Sometimes it feels like I'm tuning into science fiction news, yet everything you're discussing is incredibly real. I’m genuinely thankful for your space updates. As someone born in the 70s, I’ve watched in awe as space technology has evolved and advanced over the decades. The progress we’ve made is astonishing, revealing aspects of the universe that were beyond our understanding when I was growing up. The rapid advancements in space exploration have opened up new frontiers and insights that were once the stuff of dreams. I appreciate your efforts in educating me about these developments, and I'm more fascinated than ever with understanding our place in the cosmos. Thank you for making this complex and thrilling field more accessible and engaging.

[annexcelestial]

Amazing video!!! Thank you Dr Maggie...you do incredible work!!!

[stevenyee]

Excellent video on the solar sail and explaination of the physics in solar propulsion. 😄

[ChrisM-hxkv]

Time to download that app. And great outro music. Hope this comment feeds the algorithm 🙃

[husk]

wow.. i didn't know that photons carry momentum... thats amazing! thanks for the info Dr Lieu!! really great video... everything is explained really simple for all ages to understand!

[paulalexandredumasseauvan]

excellent presentation ...as USUAL! 👍☺

[chriskelly]

We saw it for four hundred seconds or so, over Ottawa Saturday night at 21:00h.

[samedwards]

Dr. Maggie, thanks so much for bringing us this informative, educational and entertaining video. More!

[BZAKether]

I wonder why so few sci-fi brands have used the solar sail. Seems perfect for a pirate-themed adventure. But I guess that to travel between planets fuel is still needed in order to slow down and approach objects.

[fernandesideildon]

Quando será que essa tecnologia vai chegar por aqui no Brasil?

[NachtmahrNebenan]

I read about solar sailing in a popular science magazine in the 80ies! Deep Space Nine picked it up in the 90ies. So, I'm waiting for more than 40 years – when can we finally get a ticket on a Solar Cruiser? ⛵☀️

[elgracko]

Suppose you could wrap the solar sail in a semi thick metallic spherical shell that would act as a shield

Then you send in an elliptical orbit that gets very close to the Sun

Once it passes the Sun the shell opens it separates from the solar Sail the solar Sail unfurls and speeds off to some far off destination

So you could use the gravitational potential energy to get it going, a slingshot maneuver essentially

As cell material signs improves closer and closer to the Sun so that you capture more of the acceleration, and and also have the elliptical orbit be tighter around the Sun

[ptonpc]

Back in the 1990's the The Planetary Society (I believe) released a novel with short stories featuring solar sails. I still have the book (somewhere) and had donated to TPS,
At the time, practical, common, solar sail tech seemed to be just around the corner.

[gunny_zky]

Awesome video! Really interesting to learn about! Thanks Maggie!!

[UrsaMajorPrime]

I read about solar sails as a kid, Bussard ramjet, thank you Larry Niven.

[EveryoneWhoUsesThisTV]

Solar sails and light sail + laser could be great options for uncrewed probe launches!
Propellantless propulsion is the future... :)
I think harnessing the Electrostatic Pressure Force for thrusters will be the key to long-term crewed spaceflight and interplanetary commerce.

[QuantumPath]

Nice jacket, do you mind if I ask, did you buy this or just sew/ iron on all the patches. Thanks 👍👍👍

[rahantr]

why does the sail material needs to be reflective? wouldn't it be better if it had absorbed all energy, momentum, whatever the photons have?

[johnjoseph]

Thank you again. As always excellent information clearly explained.