Scientists propose sending a mission to explore the first planet from the Sun, which would help reveal many of Mercury’s secrets.
Solar sails rely on the pressure exerted by sunlight on large surfaces. If you move the solar sail closer to the Sun, its efficiency will increase significantly. A new Mercury mission called Mercury Scout, proposed by the authors of the new study, aims to take advantage of a solar sail close to the Sun to explore the first planet in the solar system. The spacecraft will map Mercury’s surface with a resolution of up to 1 meter and will be able to detect puddles by using the sail’s highly reflective surface to illuminate shadowed craters, Universe Today writes.
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Unlike traditional rocket engines, which require fuel and add weight to the vehicle, solar sails are much more efficient. The light shining on the sail could launch the probe into space. It was only at the beginning of the 21st century that the United States Planetary Society created the solar sail spacecraft called Cosmos 1, which was launched in 2005. However, this mission was unsuccessful and the device did not reach orbit. The first solar sail vehicle to be successfully launched was the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s IKAROS. It was he who showed that this technology could work successfully in space.
It has been known since the beginning of the 20th century that light consists of very small particles called photons. They don’t have mass, but they do have momentum as they travel through space. For example, when a tennis ball hits a racket, some of its momentum is transferred to the racket. Similarly, photons hitting the solar sail transfer some of their momentum to it, causing the sail to move. The more photons that hit the sail, the faster it accelerates.
The Mercury Scout spacecraft will use a solar sail as the main engine when it reaches Earth orbit. Scientists believe the mission’s main goals are to map the distribution of minerals on Mercury’s surface, obtain high-resolution images of the surface, and detect deposits of water ice in permanently shadowed craters.
Scientists chose solar sail technology because it offers significant technical and financial advantages, reducing both mission costs and travel time to Mercury.
To propel the Mercury Scout, you will need a sail with an area of approximately 2,500 square meters and a thickness of 2.5 microns. The sail itself will consist of four parts, and with its help the device will be able to fly to Mercury in almost 4 years. It is expected to enter orbit around the planet and conduct research for 176 days.
To map the entire surface of Mercury, the orbiter’s orbit must be maintained by adjusting the angle and position of the sail.
Unlike more traditional rocket engines, which are typically limited by fuel availability, the solar sail is limited by degradation of the sail material. Its lifespan is approximately 10 years.
As I already wrote FocusNASA’s future Mars rover will help solve the mystery of methane on the planet. While this aircraft is still in the development phase, it will be able to search for hard-to-find traces of life in the Red Planet’s atmosphere.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.