First page Back Continue Last page Summary Graphics
Conclusions
While apparently "one-way", it can be combined with gravity assist, momentum-tethers, etc to provide complete round-trip travel to the planets.
What a dusty sail lacks in efficiency, it makes up for in deployment, weight, and durability, giving a new meaning to the word "gossamer".
Three micron diameter SiO2 dust is shown to have 3g/m2 mass loading at not-unreasonable densities
One micron dust is expected to have ~1 g/m2 mass loading
Notes:
So in conclusion, the promise of fast transport through the solar system remains undimmed. These materials are available now, and require no new materials or technology development, they are truly COTS (commercial-off-the-shelf). Experimentation of these dusty plasma materials gives a new meaning to the word “gossamer” and their integration into plasma sails may indeed provide the fastest travel technique for small packages to Mars, sort of a modern Pony Express.