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Finding The Percentage of Photon Passthrough in Materials Used in Solar Sails and Calculating The Acceleration at Different Sail Sizes

JSHS · 2024

James Centers, Grady Bailey · Charles D. Owen High School, Black Mountain, NC

Overview

Can different materials show greater photon propulsion, and what is the acceleration of the best performing material? If solar sailing was more efficient then it could be the new evolution of space travel, allowing us to cross an immense amount of space with little to no fuel. To make solar sailing more efficient, I’m testing different sail materials by finding the photon passthrough percentage. If a material is found that better suits solar sailing it could revolutionize space travel. To find the percenta ge of photon passrought, find the difference in wattage output produced by a solar panel and relate it to the amount of energy transferred through the sail. From there I used a NASA paper from 1967 that was translated from the Polish and a paper from 2007, both on solar sail theory, to find the acceleration of my solar sail. From there I can find the orbital dynamics and how to slow the sail down using a figure 8 pattern with Mars and one of its moons.

Competition history

  • JSHS 2024 Category not listed

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Source: Junior Science and Humanities Symposium

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