In: Physics
Let’s imagine that you sent a ship towards the Sun, and at a
distance of 20 million km (2x10^10 m), which is halfway between the
Sun and Mercury, you suddenly opened the reflective solar sail and
thrusted towards Pluto. Estimate the velocity of the
spacecraft as it reaches back the Earth on its way towards
Pluto. Assume that the initial velocity was 0 (when sail
was deployed close to the Sun). The distance from the Sun to the
Earth is 150 million km, and the Sun’s power is 3.8x10^26 W. Assume
the reflective sail is 200 x 200 m^2 and mass of the spacecraft is
100 kg.
Have in mind that the light intensity reaching the sail decreases
as the spacecraft moves further from the Sun. Include this fact in
your estimate.