threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksM to Spaceflight@sh.itjust.worksEnglish · 4 months agoNASA's solar sail successfully spreads its wings in spacewww.space.comexternal-linkmessage-square3fedilinkarrow-up147cross-posted to: technology@lemmy.worldscience@lemmy.worldworldinprogress@lemmy.worldastronomy@mander.xyz
arrow-up147external-linkNASA's solar sail successfully spreads its wings in spacewww.space.comthreelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.worksM to Spaceflight@sh.itjust.worksEnglish · 4 months agomessage-square3fedilinkcross-posted to: technology@lemmy.worldscience@lemmy.worldworldinprogress@lemmy.worldastronomy@mander.xyz
minus-squarenikaaa@lemmy.worldlinkfedilinkEnglisharrow-up2·edit-24 months agoI just did some quick maths (and assuming my formulas are correct), beaming at it with a 10 MW laser would cause it to speed up by 0.001 m/s² assuming the sail has 20 kg mass. So not very much, but also not nothing.
I just did some quick maths (and assuming my formulas are correct), beaming at it with a 10 MW laser would cause it to speed up by 0.001 m/s² assuming the sail has 20 kg mass. So not very much, but also not nothing.