Solar Sail

@Samps0n I was referring to another user's solar sail creation that does not scale thrust off of solar irradiance. This solar sail (mine) does dynamically calculate thrust based on solar irradiance.

“ it does not dynamically calculate the thrust of the sail based on solar irradiance “ ... I kind thought that was exactly what it did do? Can you unpack that sentence for me? I am no itiot but I am a not a astroengineer either. Thankss

In ot a new phone and let me tell ya, Google isn't nice to you as far as finding your stuff, lol. I am so stoked to of found ya again and will be dling all you stuff. Hope your well.

@Samps0n Yeah, I tried that one but it did not quite work the same. I do not believe it had a program to prevent the engine from thrusting in darkness (on the other side of a planet). Also, it does not dynamically calculate the thrust of the sail based on solar irradiance. Another problem I had during missions was the constant thrust. Sometimes you are able to get enough thrust to end up cruising and without the ability to stop thrust, you are making constant intricate course corrections. So I made it foldable (to stop thrust). Although unfortunately, due to the equation, the sail has to be quite large to generate usable thrust...but I guess that is just reality. This sail is not capable of interstellar travel, but I think most solar sails in reality would not be capable. Solar irradiance just drops off too rapidly before you can get up to a reasonable speed. You can escape the solar system with my sail, but it is going to take a long time to get anywhere. For that, you would need a laser sail...

I saw what claimed to be the first solar sail and it may be right but it’s SO sloppy next to yours, the only thing you share in common are the shape you hold unfolded and folded too. If you ever saw one before yours then that’s one and the same I am sure. Had you only had the irradiance meter then yours would be amazing next to his but yours is not looking like solar panels on top of panels. Do you know of the one I speak of?

@Samps0n You can thrust while in any timewarp. It shouldn't generate thrust in shade if the program is working correctly. I believe it I should be 2 or 2.1 km wide.

Ok,I gave it another go, the first time either it didn’t open the all the way, or… not sure . The, e.g. ‘Solar Irradiance 1293 W/m^2 at 27N’, was at the top or I would say it was me not using the AG. It’s (from memory) end position was 1/2 of what I know now it was made to do. It is brilliant I would add! When I read your reply I took from it that it does flatten out, I got excited and pulled it up right away. Lol. I got 1 or 2 Q’s; the N as in 27N, 0N is that newtons? Also, it generates thrust in the shade I noticed and surely it’s moving to fast, right? I have it running now with 2.1m/s2, last night it was 7.7m/s, I know that’s to quick… or do I have it all wrong? Also the stated dimensions look like the folded configuration, if that is true, then what’s the size when deployed, do you know off hand? When opening and closing repeatedly, even 2x or 3x, the 26N turns to 0N or solar irradiance around droo I have seen since this msg began 1293 & is 1364 W/m^2 is that explained in 300km orbits over 1400km? (All stats in this msg came form a Droo orbit… what’s the cause of the variations? Is it accurate or is it my err or the sandox’s, do you have any idea?… Also I wanted to add that it’s so weird, if you lock the sun as your target you exit the inner solar system.lock opposite the sun (anti-sun,lol) then you will spiral into the sun,(got +9000W/m^2}. The RCS is just a leftover AG? I haven’t seen a need for any RCS really , but it’s 1 of 2 AG’s listed so I ask you. Would it scale to larger sizes?

@Samps0n It was a relatively straightforward 3 hr build, once I figured out the ingame units for the solar irradiance Yes, it is a practical vehicle for interplanetary travel, however, only for inner planets. Solar radiation rapidly drops off the farther you are from the sun. I built it so that the vehicle basically has infinite fuel, but you'll never see solar orbital speeds greater than 20 km/s because of the mediocre thrust and time to accelerate. As a result, it's possible, but not viable for interstellar travel (100,000s of years). For that, you would need a laser sail. The sail has two states, folded, where it takes a pyramid-type shape and produces no thrust, and deployed where it is flat and produces thrust. Not sure if that answers your questions. The build is pre 0.9.923.

Your pic looks really flat, what’s going on?

Is the X shape a real design for sails, or is it your 1.0 sail that is what it takes to make it work? I have bad eyes, it was like a 3d X, right? I thought some time back that the way solar panels tracked the sun would be perfect for using as a base to make the solar sail starting with the look and visual desired behaviour, especially now that is has the stretch feature, Was this a project that goes back further than this last beta release? Or are you quick as, with your novel sr2 creations? the ion engine as thrust is such a good basis for functional side of it. , I had thought of using the solar panels elec. output to convert it to thrust, that it would keep realistic. But I never thought of using the ion for thrust. So I take it from the x shape design that you had a massive problem keeping a concave to flat surface in the right direction. How did you get the fuel tank to act like the sails? Did you look at panels for sails? I ask to know if/what is the fundamental flaw or issue that they presented to you. So I can know if it not that swell of an idea. Have you made any craft that was set in the typical tractor design sail offer? Was there still difficulties with directing a concave sail ? Have you gotten it up to anY interplanetary speeds? I take it you made it so that you didn’t need xenon of batteries?