Database on space sails
Description
Space sails are a continuum of lightweight, thin, large-area, deployable technologies which are pushing forward new frontiers in space mobility and exploration. They encompass solar sails, laser-driven sails, drag sails, magnetic sails, electric sails, deployable membrane reflectors, deployable membrane antennas, and solar power sails. This database contains values of important parameters from 220 different space sails, which have either flown in space or been proposed as mission concepts. The parameters are: the deployed sail area, the spacecraft's total mass, the total sail loading, the characteristic acceleration, the characteristic thrust, the sail's stowed volume, the sail packing efficiency, and the sail thickness. Assumptions and definitions used for each parameter are provided, along with links to the data sources.
Files
Steps to reproduce
This data was gathered from an extensive literature review of published papers and other resources on space sail technologies. It was obtained from values shown in the referenced sources, either directly or via simple calculations. Assumptions and definitions used for each parameter in the database are provided, along with links to the data sources, enabling the data to be reproduced.