Are Solar Sails the Future of Space Travel?

[Skull and Bones]

If thats true then how are they planning to circumvent this issue?
$27million would fizzle out ...wont it?

One way to answer the issue is by making the sail with self healing polymer or so, did i mentioned the sail has to be very shiny to reflect off all the photons to maximum momentum?

And this is a test bed, and the density of space rocks are far less in deep space, but navigating through the asteroid belt is going to be a concern.

 

[Levina]

One way to answer the issue is by making the sail with self healing polymer or so, did i mentioned the sail has to be very shiny to reflect off all the photons to maximum momentum?

Self healing polymers??
But we are not talking about hairline cracks...the dents caused by collision with debris can be devastating.I am not sure if self healing polymers would actually be able to heal such dents and damages fast enough.

And this is a test bed, and the density of space rocks are far less in deep space, but navigating through the asteroid belt is going to be a concern.

Haddi bhai what i am going to ask you might sound very dilettante but i wonder if all the planets lie in the same plane...as in the planets are mostly shown revolving around the sun's mid rib,pretty much like the moon which revolves around earth's midrib.
Or it shown so for the convenience of teaching pupil?
Now if thats true then the asteroid belt would also be largely concentrated around the sun's midrib...so the sunjammer should be able to avoid it,but if it is equally dispersed in all directions then we might actually have a problem.
Don't laugh....I know that sounds dilettante.But kindly explain.

 

[Skull and Bones]

Self healing polymers??
But we are not talking about hairline cracks...the dents caused by collision with debris can be devastating.I am not sure if self healing polymers would actually be able to heal such dents and damages fast enough.

Most of the space debris is small rocks of few feet or less than that, given the scale of the Sail, those small holes can be relf repaired. I'm no expert on self healing, but the scale of healing surely seems to be dependent on the number of molecules. Given the size scale of the sails, i'm open to possibilities.

 

[Levina]

Most of the space debris is small rocks of few feet or less than that, given the scale of the Sail, those small holes can be relf repaired. I'm no expert on self healing, but the scale of healing surely seems to be dependent on the number of molecules. Given the size scale of the sails, i'm open to possibilities.

what about the second part of my post??

 

[Skull and Bones]

what about the second part of my post??

Yes, all the planets are on the same plane, apart from Pluto, as it's orbit is elliptical to certain degrees, mainly because all the planets share same origin to the solar system, and is balanced by centrifugal/centripetal, apart from Pluto, which is thought to be a wandering space rock caught in the Sun's gravitational field. For the same reason, all the outermost planets are gas giants, except Pluto.

I advice you a simple experiment, time a stone with a string to your finger, and rorate it. Minimum energy required is to a certain plane 90% to that of the finger/axis of rotation. Now when you try to make the orbit elliptical, you'll have to put extra energy into it. Universe always settle for minimum energy state.

 

[Levina]

Yes, all the planets are on the same plane, apart from Pluto, as it's orbit is elliptical to certain degrees, mainly because all the planets share same origin to the solar system, and is balanced by centrifugal/centripetal, apart from Pluto, which is thought to be a wandering space rock caught in the Sun's gravitational field. For the same reason, all the outermost planets are gas giants, except Pluto.

I advice you a simple experiment, time a stone with a string to your finger, and rorate it. Minimum energy required is to a certain plane 90% to that of the finger/axis of rotation. Now when you try to make the orbit elliptical, you'll have to put extra energy into it. Universe always settle for minimum energy state.

As I guessed the asteroid belt would also be concentrated in that plane isnt it???
So the debris can be circumvented if sunjammer avoids this plane right???


edit:

@Skull and Bones
I am sorry i meant the asteroid belt.

 

[Skull and Bones]

As I guessed the asteroid belt would also be concentrated in that plane isnt it???
So the debris can be circumvented if sunjammer avoids this plane right???

Yes, in one plane. And to circumvent the asteroid belt, it has to put extra energy to it. And maximum given a equivalent thrust of 0.1N, i don't think it might be possible. The moment the sail makes a considerable angle with the Sun (incident photons), there would be no meaningful thrust, and the spacecraft will be nothing but a 'artificial' space rock.