An artist concept of the solar sail. The center package contains the solar panels powering an electron gun that keeps the many tethers charged. Credit: Allt om vetenskap
An electrically-charged solar sail with a possible
"turbo" option may be ready for its first space trials in three years
if scientists in Finland have their way.
"A flight out of the solar system to measure the gas,
dust, plasma and magnetic field in the undisturbed interstellar space would
perhaps be the 'flagship' thing to do," said Pekka
Janhunen, a researcher developing the sail at the Finnish Meteorological
Institute.
Two solar panels would power an electron gun that keeps the
spacecraft tethers charged, creating propulsion from the similarly charged
solar wind pushing against the sail. Researchers are looking into aluminum or
copper alloy wires for the tethers.
The maiden mission would also test a concept to increase the
thrust from the solar wind, called radio frequency electron heating.
clipped from: www.space.com 