Space exploration with a solar sail coated by materials that undergo thermal desorption

Abstract

For extrasolar space exploration it is suggested to use space environmental effects such as solar radiation heating to accelerate a solar sail coated by materials that undergo thermal desorption at a particular temperature. The developed approach allows the perihelion of the solar sail orbits to be determined based on the temperature requirement for the solar sail materials. Our study shows that the temperature of a solar sail increases as r−2/5 when the heliocentric distance r decreases. The proposed sail has two coats of the materials that undergo desorption at different solar sail temperatures depending on the heliocentric distance. The first desorption occurs at the Earth orbit and provides the thrust needed to propel the solar sail toward the Sun. When the solar sail approaches the Sun, its temperature increases, and the second coat undergoes desorption at the perihelion of the heliocentric escape orbit. This provides a second thrust and boosts the solar sail to its escape velocity.