Circumnavigating the sun with diffractive solar sails

Space vehicles may be propelled by solar sails exploiting the radiation pressure coming from the sun and applied on their surfaces. This work deals with the adoption of Nickel-Titanium Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) elements in the sail deployment mechanism activated by the Joule Effect, i.e., using the same SMA elements as a resistance within suitable designed electrical circuits. Mathematical models were analyzed for the thermal analysis by implementing algorithms for the evaluation of the temperature trend depending on the design parameters. Several solar sail prototypes were built up and tested with different number, size, and arrangement of the SMA elements, as well as the type of the selected electrical circuit. The main parameters were discussed in the tested configurations and advantages discussed as well.

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Deployment of Solar Sails by Joule Effect: Thermal Analysis and Experimental Results

10.20944/preprints202011.0690.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gianluigi Bovesecchi ◽

Sandra Corasaniti ◽

Girolamo Costanza ◽

Fabrizio Paolo Piferi ◽

Maria Elisa Tata

Keyword(s):

Thermal Analysis ◽

Shape Memory Alloy ◽

Solar Sail ◽

Electrical Circuit ◽

Design Parameters ◽

Space Vehicles ◽

The Sun ◽

Solar Sails ◽

Joule Effect ◽

Electrical Circuits

Space vehicles may be propelled by solar sails exploiting the radiation pressure coming from the sun and applied on their surfaces. This work deals with the adoption of Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) elements in the sail deployment mechanism activated by the Joule Effect, i.e. using the same SMA elements as a resistance within suitable designed electrical circuits. Mathematical models were analyzed for the thermal analysis by implementing algorithms for the evaluation of the temperature trend depending on the design parameters. Several solar sail prototypes were built up and tested with different number, size and arrangement of the SMA elements, as well as the type of the selected electrical circuit. The main parameters have been discussed in the tested configurations and advantages discussed as well.

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To the sun and pluto with solar sails and micro-sciencecraft

Acta Astronautica ◽

10.1016/s0094-5765(99)00175-7 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 45 (4-9) ◽

pp. 549-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

M. Leipold

Keyword(s):

The Sun ◽

Solar Sails

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The sun diver: Combining solar sails with the Oberth effect

American Journal of Physics ◽

10.1119/10.0002178 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 89 (3) ◽

pp. 235-243

Author(s):

Coryn A. L. Bailer-Jones

Keyword(s):

The Sun ◽

Solar Sails

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Chromospheric activity as a function of age in main-sequence stars

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900053146 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 24 ◽

pp. 40-43

Author(s):

O. C. Wilson ◽

A. Skumanich

Keyword(s):

Main Sequence ◽

The Sun ◽

Main Sequence Stars ◽

Tentative Conclusion ◽

Chromospheric Activity ◽

General Field ◽

Large Clusters

Evidence previously presented by one of the authors (1) suggests strongly that chromospheric activity decreases with age in main sequence stars. This tentative conclusion rests principally upon a comparison of the members of large clusters (Hyades, Praesepe, Pleiades) with non-cluster objects in the general field, including the Sun. It is at least conceivable, however, that cluster and non-cluster stars might differ in some fundamental fashion which could influence the degree of chromospheric activity, and that the observed differences in chromospheric activity would then be attributable to the circumstances of stellar origin rather than to age.

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Galactic orbits of stars

Symposium - International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s0074180900105340 ◽

1966 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 93-97

Author(s):

Richard Woolley

Keyword(s):

Globular Cluster ◽

Potential Field ◽

High Velocity ◽

Velocity Vector ◽

Variable Stars ◽

The Sun ◽

Proper Motions ◽

Rr Lyrae ◽

The Galaxy

It is now possible to determine proper motions of high-velocity objects in such a way as to obtain with some accuracy the velocity vector relevant to the Sun. If a potential field of the Galaxy is assumed, one can compute an actual orbit. A determination of the velocity of the globular clusterωCentauri has recently been completed at Greenwich, and it is found that the orbit is strongly retrograde in the Galaxy. Similar calculations may be made, though with less certainty, in the case of RR Lyrae variable stars.

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Seti Space Missions

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100015372 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 761-776 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Claudio Maccone

Keyword(s):

Electromagnetic Waves ◽

Space Missions ◽

Gravitational Lens ◽

The Sun ◽

Space Antenna ◽

Focal Distance ◽

Large Space ◽

The Earth ◽

Space Antennas ◽

New Space

AbstractSETI from space is currently envisaged in three ways: i) by large space antennas orbiting the Earth that could be used for both VLBI and SETI (VSOP and RadioAstron missions), ii) by a radiotelescope inside the Saha far side Moon crater and an Earth-link antenna on the Mare Smythii near side plain. Such SETIMOON mission would require no astronaut work since a Tether, deployed in Moon orbit until the two antennas landed softly, would also be the cable connecting them. Alternatively, a data relay satellite orbiting the Earth-Moon Lagrangian pointL2would avoid the Earthlink antenna, iii) by a large space antenna put at the foci of the Sun gravitational lens: 1) for electromagnetic waves, the minimal focal distance is 550 Astronomical Units (AU) or 14 times beyond Pluto. One could use the huge radio magnifications of sources aligned to the Sun and spacecraft; 2) for gravitational waves and neutrinos, the focus lies between 22.45 and 29.59 AU (Uranus and Neptune orbits), with a flight time of less than 30 years. Two new space missions, of SETI interest if ET’s use neutrinos for communications, are proposed.

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A Search for Dyson Spheres around Late-Type Stars in the Solar Neighborhood II

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100015281 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 161 ◽

pp. 707-709 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jun Jugaku ◽

Shiro Nishimura

Keyword(s):

Solar Neighborhood ◽

The Sun ◽

Late Type ◽

Solar Type

AbstractWe continued our search for partial (incomplete) Dyson spheres associated with 50 solar-type stars (spectral classes F, G, and K) within 25 pc of the Sun. No candidate objects were found.

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Emergence of Twisted Magnetic Flux Related Sigmoidal Brightening

International Astronomical Union Colloquium ◽

10.1017/s0252921100064630 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 179 ◽

pp. 263-264

Author(s):

K. Sundara Raman ◽

K. B. Ramesh ◽

R. Selvendran ◽

P. S. M. Aleem ◽

K. M. Hiremath

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Field ◽

Magnetic Fields ◽

Magnetic Flux ◽

Ultra Violet ◽

Active Regions ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Energy Storage And Conversion ◽

The Sun ◽

X Rays ◽

The Magnetic Field

Extended AbstractWe have examined the morphological properties of a sigmoid associated with an SXR (soft X-ray) flare. The sigmoid is cospatial with the EUV (extreme ultra violet) images and in the optical part lies along an S-shaped Hαfilament. The photoheliogram shows flux emergence within an existingδtype sunspot which has caused the rotation of the umbrae giving rise to the sigmoidal brightening.It is now widely accepted that flares derive their energy from the magnetic fields of the active regions and coronal levels are considered to be the flare sites. But still a satisfactory understanding of the flare processes has not been achieved because of the difficulties encountered to predict and estimate the probability of flare eruptions. The convection flows and vortices below the photosphere transport and concentrate magnetic field, which subsequently appear as active regions in the photosphere (Rust & Kumar 1994 and the references therein). Successive emergence of magnetic flux, twist the field, creating flare productive magnetic shear and has been studied by many authors (Sundara Ramanet al.1998 and the references therein). Hence, it is considered that the flare is powered by the energy stored in the twisted magnetic flux tubes (Kurokawa 1996 and the references therein). Rust & Kumar (1996) named the S-shaped bright coronal loops that appear in soft X-rays as ‘Sigmoids’ and concluded that this S-shaped distortion is due to the twist developed in the magnetic field lines. These transient sigmoidal features tell a great deal about unstable coronal magnetic fields, as these regions are more likely to be eruptive (Canfieldet al.1999). As the magnetic fields of the active regions are deep rooted in the Sun, the twist developed in the subphotospheric flux tube penetrates the photosphere and extends in to the corona. Thus, it is essentially favourable for the subphotospheric twist to unwind the twist and transmit it through the photosphere to the corona. Therefore, it becomes essential to make complete observational descriptions of a flare from the magnetic field changes that are taking place in different atmospheric levels of the Sun, to pin down the energy storage and conversion process that trigger the flare phenomena.

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