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Solar sailing - The concept made realisticThe practicability of using solar sails as a means of spacecraft propulsion is discussed with reference to a Haley's comet rendezvous mission in 1981. Two types of sails are examined: square and heliogyro. Because of ease of deployment (release into space from a space shuttle, and unfolding of the blades through solar radiation pressure) the latter is preferred. Structural and mission parameters are given for the heliogyro configuration, with attention to operational temperature limits and material coefficients. A cranking orbit is described, where a sail-powered spacecraft flies first toward the sun, and then away from it in order to achieve rendezvous with a comet. Other missions using solar sails, including a back-up mission to Encke's comet in 1983, are also discussed.
Document ID
19780038658
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Friedman, L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Carroll, W.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Goldstein, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Jacobson, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Kievit, J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Landel, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Layman, W.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Marsh, E.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Ploszaj, R.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Rowe, W.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Ruff, W.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Stevens, J.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Stimpson, L.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Trubert, M.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Varsi, G.
(Jet Propulsion Lab., California Inst. of Tech. Pasadena, CA, United States)
Wright, J.
(California Institute of Technology, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena Calif., United States)
Date Acquired
August 9, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1978
Subject Category
Spacecraft Design, Testing And Performance
Report/Patent Number
AIAA PAPER 78-82
Meeting Information
Meeting: Aerospace Sciences Meeting
Location: Huntsville, AL
Start Date: January 16, 1978
End Date: January 18, 1978
Sponsors: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Accession Number
78A22567
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS7-100
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-954709
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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