Download or read book Solar Sails written by Giovanni Vulpetti and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-03-05 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Solar sail technology is very close to becoming an engineering reality and it will soon be used in the exploration of the solar system and beyond. This fascinating book provides an accessible introduction to solar sails and details how they work and what they will be used for in the exploration of space. It also examines current plans for solar sails and how advanced technology, such as nanotechnology, might enhance their performance. Coverage shows how solar sail propulsion will make space exploration more affordable and demonstrates how access to destinations within (and beyond) the solar system will become within reach.