Solar sail

Patent · Tue Sep 30 00:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5159216

Drexler, K E

This patent describes a solar sail propulsion system comprising: solar sail means for intercepting light pressure to produce thrust, the solar sail means being a thin metal film; tension truss means having two ends attached at one end to the solar sail means for transferring the thrust from the solar sail and for preventing gross deformation of the solar sail under light pressure, the solar sail means being a plurality of separate generally two-dimensional pieces joined by springs to the tension truss means; a payload attached to the other end of the tension truss means, the tension truss means comprising a plurality of attachment means for attaching shroud lines to the top of the tension truss means and a plurality of the shroud lines attached to the attachment means at one of their ends and the payload at the other; a plurality of reel means attached to the shroud lines for controllably varying the length of the lines; and a plurality of reflective panel means attached to the sail means for controlling the orientation of the system.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-85-027029; EDB-86-182030
• Patent Number(s): US 4614319
• OSTI ID: 5159216
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 05 May 1980
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
SOLAR COLLECTORS
DESIGN
OPERATION
METALS
ORIENTATION
PRESSURE EFFECTS
PROPULSION SYSTEMS
SOLAR REFLECTORS
SPRINGS
STRAINS
THIN FILMS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
MACHINE PARTS
SOLAR CONCENTRATORS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
140909* - Solar Thermal Utilization- Miscellaneous Solar Applications- (1980-)
141000 - Solar Collectors & Concentrators