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  • Book
  • © 1999

Solar Sailing

Technology, Dynamics and Mission Applications

  • The first comprehensive account of solar sailing
  • Ideal as an introduction, but treats the subject at a high technical level
  • Emphasis on solar sail orbital dynamics and solar radiation pressure
  • Solar sailing represents one of the few possibilities for travel to the nearby stars in a lifetime!

Part of the book series: Springer Praxis Books (PRAXIS)

Part of the book sub series: Astronomy and Planetary Sciences (ASTRONOMY)

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Table of contents (7 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxix
  2. Introduction to solar sailing

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 1-31
  3. Solar radiation pressure

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 32-55
  4. Solar sail design

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 56-111
  5. Solar sail orbital dynamics

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 112-170
  6. Non-Keplerian orbits

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 171-228
  7. Mission application case studies

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 229-270
  8. Laser-driven light sails

    • Colin Robert McInnes
    Pages 271-292
  9. Back Matter

    Pages 293-296

About this book

Solar sailing offers the possibility of low-cost long-distance missions, impossible for any other type of conventional spacecraft. The book provides a detailed account of solar sailing, at a high technical level but in a way accessible to the scientifically informed layman. Solar sail orbital dynamics and solar radiation pressure form the foundations of the book, but the engineering design of solar sails is also considered, along with potential mission applications. This book introduces the subject and at the same time provides a technical reference source.

Authors and Affiliations

  • Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland

    Colin Robert McInnes

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Solar Sailing

  • Book Subtitle: Technology, Dynamics and Mission Applications

  • Authors: Colin Robert McInnes

  • Series Title: Springer Praxis Books

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-3992-8

  • Publisher: Springer London

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

  • Copyright Information: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1999

  • eBook ISBN: 978-1-4471-3992-8Published: 27 November 2013

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: XXIX, 296

  • Number of Illustrations: 115 b/w illustrations

  • Additional Information: Jointly published with Praxis Publishing, UK

  • Topics: Astronomy, Observations and Techniques, Astrophysics and Astroparticles

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 69.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access