Solar Photon Sail Deceleration at Alpha Centauri A
- Paper number
IAC-09.C4.6.5
- Author
Dr. Gregory L. Matloff, New York City College of Technology, United States
- Coauthor
Prof. Roman Kezerashvili, New York City College of Technology, United States
- Year
2009
- Abstract
Many astrophysicists consider that Alpha Centauri B has a high probability of possessing one or more planetary companions within the habitable zone. The higher luminosity of its companion star Alpha Centauri B as compared with the Sun could be applied to the deceleration of solar-sail starships. The theory of decelerating to parabolic velocity or rest using an opaque solar sail is first developed for an arbitrary star and then applied to Alpha Centauri A. Significant variables include stellar luminosity and mass, sail reflectivity, spacecraft areal mass thickness and sail periapsis at the destination star. For launch from a parabolic solar orbit and deceleration to a parabolic orbit around Alpha Centauri A, if the acceleration and deceleration periapsis are equal, the pre-deceleration interstellar cruise velocity at Alpha Centauri A is about 1.25X the solar-system escape velocity.- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
IAC-09.C4.6.5.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).
To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.