The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2: Sailing Through Space
Summary
In this article, we explore the successful launch of The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft, which uses solar sailing to propel itself through space. The article discusses the practical applications of the spacecraft, including monitoring solar weather, detecting asteroids, and exploring the Kuiper Belt. We also learn about the CubeSat, a small spacecraft that can be used to study asteroids, and the potential for interstellar travel using laser beams.
Table of Contents
- Solar Sailing: Propelling Through Space
- Detecting Asteroids with Infrared Technology
- CubeSats: A Small Solution for Studying Asteroids
- Exploring the Kuiper Belt with Solar Sails
- Conclusion
Solar Sailing: Propelling Through Space
The LightSail 2 spacecraft, launched by The Planetary Society, uses solar sailing to propel itself through space. The spacecraft has a small sail that is 32 square meters in size and gets a push from the sun’s rays. The sail is made of a thin, durable material that is reinforced at the edges. The sail billows like a sailboat and twists 90 degrees with every orbit due to a momentum wheel. The spacecraft can be positioned closer to the sun than Earth and could be used to monitor solar weather and detect asteroids. The sail’s practical applications include providing early warnings of coronal mass ejections and asteroid detection.
Detecting Asteroids with Infrared Technology
The speaker notes the difficulty in detecting asteroids at optical wavelengths but explains that infrared technology can be used to locate them. There are hundreds of thousands of asteroids that cross Earth’s orbit, and some of them could potentially cause a catastrophic event.
CubeSats: A Small Solution for Studying Asteroids
The CubeSat is a small, cubical-shaped spacecraft that can be used to study asteroids. It is made up of a small motor and thin steel ribbon booms that wind up into a small volume. The sails are made of a mylar material that is packed into a small volume, and the spacecraft can be launched into orbit to study asteroids. While this technology may not be suitable for transporting humans to other planets or stars, it could be used for interstellar travel by pushing a spacecraft with a laser beam. The energy required for this would be enormous.
Exploring the Kuiper Belt with Solar Sails
The Planetary Society is interested in exploring the Kuiper Belt, where icy objects orbit the sun. They propose using a solar sail made of materials that can hold their shape and integrity near the sun. The sail would be hit by many photons, pushing the spacecraft out at a speed of 100 kilometers per second. This technology does not currently exist, but the Planetary Society sees LightSail 1 and 2 as part of their mission to advance space science and exploration through citizen-funded flight by light.
Conclusion
The launch of The Planetary Society’s LightSail 2 spacecraft marks a significant advancement in space science and exploration. The use of solar sailing and CubeSats provides new opportunities for studying asteroids and exploring the Kuiper Belt. While interstellar travel using laser beams is still a distant dream, the potential for citizen-funded flight by light is exciting and inspiring. The Planetary Society’s mission to advance space science and exploration is one that we should all support and celebrate.
