1,359 research outputs found
Photonic spin control for solar wind electric sail
The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a novel, efficient propellantless
propulsion concept which utilises the natural solar wind for spacecraft
propulsion with the help of long centrifugally stretched charged tethers. The
E-sail requires auxiliary propulsion applied to the tips of the main tethers
for creating the initial angular momentum and possibly for modifying the
spinrate later during flight to counteract the orbital Coriolis effect and
possibly for mission specific reasons. We introduce the possibility of
implementing the required auxiliary propulsion by small photonic blades (small
radiation pressure solar sails). The blades would be stretched centrifugally.
We look into two concepts, one with and one without auxiliary tethers. The use
of photonic blades has the benefit of providing sufficient spin modification
capability for any E-sail mission while keeping the technology fully
propellantless. We conclude that the photonic blades appear to be a feasible
and attractive solution to E-sail spinrate control.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
EMMI - Electric Solar Wind Sail Facilitated Manned Mars Initiative
The novel propellantless electric solar wind sail concept promises efficient
low thrust transportation in the Solar System outside Earth's magnetosphere.
Combined with asteroid mining to provide water and synthetic cryogenic rocket
fuel in orbits of Earth and Mars, possibilities for affordable continuous
manned presence on Mars open up. Orbital fuel and water enable reusable
bidirectional Earth-Mars vehicles for continuous manned presence on Mars and
allow smaller fuel fraction of spacecraft than what is achievable by
traditional means. Water can also be used as radiation shielding of the manned
compartment, thus reducing the launch mass further. In addition, the presence
of fuel in the orbit of Mars provides the option for an all-propulsive landing,
thus potentially eliminating issues of heavy heat shields and augmenting the
capability of pinpoint landing. With this E-sail enabled scheme, the recurrent
cost of continuous bidirectional traffic between Earth and Mars might
ultimately approach the recurrent cost of running the International Space
Station, ISS.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, revised version to Acta Astronautic
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