Comments on: Hoist Up the LightSail-1: New Solar Sailing Project Underway http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-research/hoist-up-the-lightsail-1-new-solar-sailing-project-underway/ A blog about residential solar power, brought to you by CalFinder. Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:36:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-research/hoist-up-the-lightsail-1-new-solar-sailing-project-underway/comment-page-1/#comment-24817 Dan Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:11:04 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/?p=1961#comment-24817 The LightSail will be made of Mylar, a brand-name example of a heat resistant polyester film. In essence, though, the sails are ultra-thin mirrors that, in reflecting the sunlight striking them, experience and utilize the thrust set upon them by photons to move through space. Although they look like it, these "sails" are not photovoltaic in any way. So it will not be this technology that charges your sailboat batteries while simultaneously propelling the boat by wind. That being said, there is solar technology - more specifically, nanotechnology - that could (and most likely will) be interwoven in fabrics to them photovoltaic properties. Here are a couple of links that at least touch on this sort of nanotechnology: http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/news/whats-the-latest-news-on-nanotechnology-2/ http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/its-curtains/ You won't hear much today (other than excited speculation) about solar clothing or PV sails, but the concept is very real and scientists can now see the methodology the must take to get there. In all likelihood it's just a matter of time... Thanks for writing in, and may the wind always be at your back! The LightSail will be made of Mylar, a brand-name example of a heat resistant polyester film. In essence, though, the sails are ultra-thin mirrors that, in reflecting the sunlight striking them, experience and utilize the thrust set upon them by photons to move through space.

Although they look like it, these “sails” are not photovoltaic in any way. So it will not be this technology that charges your sailboat batteries while simultaneously propelling the boat by wind.

That being said, there is solar technology – more specifically, nanotechnology – that could (and most likely will) be interwoven in fabrics to them photovoltaic properties. Here are a couple of links that at least touch on this sort of nanotechnology:

http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/news/whats-the-latest-news-on-nanotechnology-2/

http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/products/its-curtains/

You won’t hear much today (other than excited speculation) about solar clothing or PV sails, but the concept is very real and scientists can now see the methodology the must take to get there. In all likelihood it’s just a matter of time…

Thanks for writing in, and may the wind always be at your back!

]]> By: inganear http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/solar-research/hoist-up-the-lightsail-1-new-solar-sailing-project-underway/comment-page-1/#comment-24801 inganear Thu, 19 Nov 2009 13:30:08 +0000 http://solar.calfinder.com/blog/?p=1961#comment-24801 The concept sounds great but I would like to know more about the material used for the sail itself. I have an electric propulsion sailboat that I would love to charge the batteries. The concept sounds great but I would like to know more about the material used for the sail itself. I have an electric propulsion sailboat that I would love to charge the batteries.

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