Solar Sail Technology Review

Solar sails represent a key technology for maintaining Dyson swarm satellite positions without propellant consumption. This article reviews the current state of the art and future developments needed for megastructure applications.

How Solar Sails Work

Solar sails generate thrust from radiation pressure—photons from the Sun bouncing off a reflective surface transfer momentum to the sail. While the force is small, it's continuous and requires no fuel.

Current Demonstrations

Recent missions have validated solar sail technology:

• JAXA's IKAROS (2010): First successful interplanetary solar sail
• Planetary Society's LightSail 2 (2019): Demonstrated controlled solar sailing
• NASA's NEA Scout (2022): CubeSat solar sail mission

Requirements for Dyson Swarm

Swarm satellites will need solar sails for:

• Initial positioning after deployment
• Continuous station-keeping against perturbations
• Collision avoidance maneuvers
• End-of-life deorbiting

Research Gaps

Key areas requiring further development:

• Ultra-lightweight sail materials
• Autonomous navigation systems
• Long-duration material degradation studies
• Scalable manufacturing processes