Solar Sail Starships: The Clipper Ships Of The Galaxy

G. L. Matloff, E. Mallove. (1981), JBIS, 34, pp.371-380

Refcode: 1981.34.371

Abstract:

ALTHOUGH THEORETICAL ANALYSIS of solar sails have been performed for several decades [1] this propulsion system required several advances in materials science before it could be considered for interplanetary missions. Recently, state-of-the-art solar sails were considered to propel the 1986 Haley’s comet probe [2] and more advanced space manufactured sails are now under consideration for application to space industrialization and colonization.