History Main / SolarSail

* [[TropeMaker The original]] StarfishAliens, the Elder Things introduced in HPLovecraft's ''Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness'' have fan-like wings that act as biomechanical ones allowing them to fly through space in the nude. [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace They're apparently very good at holding their breath]]. (Although holding your breath in outer space would be a really bad idea as the air inside your lungs will expand and rupture your insides)

* The Japanese [[TemptingFate IKAROS]] ([[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IKAROS Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun]]) space probe was launched in 2010. It was the first spacecraft to use a solar sail as its main method of control (a traditional chemical rocket placed the probe on its Venus flyby trajectory) and was the first interplanetary solar sail spacecraft. The craft's journey to Venus was intended to test the sail's control system - LCD panels on the sail itself can adjust their reflectivity, giving the craft a method of attitude control. Cycling the panels on and off also allows the spacecraft to control its rotational speed. Since its launch in 2010, IKAROS has completed its original mission successfully and now orbits the Sun once every ten months, periodically waking up and transmitting data back to Earth.

* [[TropeMaker The original]] StarfishAliens, the Elder Things introduced in HPLovecraft's ''Literature/AtTheMountainsOfMadness'' have fan-like wings that act as biomechanical ones allowing them to fly through space in the nude. [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace They're apparently very good at holding their breath]].

* The Japanese [[TemptingFate IKAROS]] (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) space probe was launched in 2010. It was the first spacecraft to use a solar sail as its main method of control (a traditional chemical rocket placed the probe on its Venus flyby trajectory) and was the first interplanetary solar sail spacecraft. The craft's journey to Venus was intended to test the sail's control system - LCD panels on the sail itself can adjust their reflectivity, giving the craft a method of attitude control. Cycling the panels on and off also allows the spacecraft to control its rotational speed. Currently UsefulNotes/{{JAXA}}, the Japanese space agency, is waiting for the spacecraft to awake from hibernation, as its 10-month heliocentric orbit includes 7 months when the spacecraft's solar panels cannot receive enough energy.

-->-- ''AtTheMountainsOfMadness'' (Atlanta Radio Theater Company version)

* The arrival of an alien solar sail vessel in a human colonized system in ''TheMoteInGodsEye'' starts off the plot - although this one was the variation that is initially accelerated by a planet-based laser emitter.
* ''The Wind from the Sun'' by ArthurCClarke is about an international race by solar sailing ships from the Earth to the Moon, patterned on America's Cup style yacht racing.

* [[TropeMaker The original]] StarfishAliens, the Elder Things introduced in HPLovecraft's ''AtTheMountainsOfMadness'' have fan-like wings that act as biomechanical ones allowing them to fly through space in the nude. [[BatmanCanBreatheInSpace They're apparently very good at holding their breath]].

* An optional technology in {{Traveller}}, but usually to slow to be worth it except for sport.

* TheReveal in ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' episode "Message" is that the 1s and 0s the woman keeps furiously scribbling at 3:10 AM every night are a cry of help from an alien ship that is propelled by a solar sail. The ship is moving on a trajectory towards the Sun, much too fast for the solar sail to stop. They instruct the woman how to build a high-energy laser to push the craft onto a safer course. It works.

[[caption-width-right:350:This image depicts the [[UsefulNotes/{{JAXA}} Japanese]] IKAROS spacecraft, which used its solar sail to accelerate itself on its way to Venus. Yes, this trope is TruthInTelevision.]]

Real-life solar sailing has advanced by quite a lot despite the technology's infancy - Japan has already sent a solar sailing spacecraft to Venus in 2010, and other agencies and groups are planning to launch solar sails for purposes other than to test the sail itself.

* The Japanese [[TemptingFate IKAROS]] (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) space probe was the first spacecraft to use a solar sail as its main method of propulsion. The craft was launched in 2010. It used the radiation pressure from the Sun to propel itself toward Venus, making history as the first solar sail-powered interplanetary spacecraft. The craft's journey to Venus was to test the sail's control system - LCD panels on the sail itself can adjust their reflectivity, giving the craft a method of attitude control. Currently UsefulNotes/{{JAXA}}, the Japanese space agency, is using the craft to further refine control methods for solar sail-powered craft.
* NASA's first attempt at launching a solar sail-powered craft was much less ambitious- the [=NanoSail-D=] mission was designed to test a solar sail in low Earth orbit. The first launch in 2008 failed, destroying the probe; however, a launch spare was modified and improved to become [=NanoSail-D2=], which was launched successfully in 2010, after IKAROS was launched. Unlike IKAROS, [=NanoSail-D2=] does not exist anymore- it reentered the atmosphere and burned up as planned.

* Proposed as a far less dangerous method of dealing with a [[ColonyDrop meteor heading towards Earth]] than [[DeusExNukina launching a giant nuke at it]]. A robot spacecraft would attach a solar sail which would gradually pull it off course.

* ''BattleTech'' Jumpships and Warships use jump sails to recharge their jump drives. The sails take a long time to set up and it takes a week to fully recharge the drives. It's worth noting that in this case the sails only act as basically giant flexible solar panels; any actual sublight ''propulsion'' worth mentioning is done via fusion rocket, it's just that the average [=JumpShip=] is essentially just a single FTL drive core with some station-keeping engines and quarters for the crew as an afterthought.

** Although [=NanoSail-D2=] was NASA's replacement for [=NanoSail-D=], the original [=NanoSail-D=] mission was handed to the non-profit Planetary Society. [=NanoSail-D=] was renamed [=LightSail-1=], and although [=NanoSail-D's=] successor had been launched successfully in 2010, LightSail-1 still awaits launch. The Planetary Society had earlier tried to launch in 2005 the first ever solar sail-powered spacecraft, Cosmos 1, but the launch vehicle failed to reach orbit.

* NASA's first attempt at launching a solar sail-powered craft was much less ambitious - the NanoSail-D mission was designed to test a solar sail in low Earth orbit. The first launch in 2008 failed, destroying the probe; however, a launch spare was modified and improved to become NanoSail-D2, which was launched successfully in 2010, after IKAROS was launched. Unlike IKAROS, NanoSail-D2 does not exist anymore - it reentered the atmosphere and burned up as planned.
** Although NanoSail-D2 was NASA's replacement for NanoSail-D, the original NanoSail-D mission was handed to the non-profit Planetary Society. NanoSail-D was renamed LightSail-1, and although NanoSail-D's successor had been launched successfully in 2010, LightSail-1 still awaits launch. The Planetary Society had earlier tried to launch in 2005 the first ever solar sail-powered spacecraft, Cosmos 1, but the launch vehicle failed to reach orbit.

* Solar sails are used as weapons in Creator/AlastairReynolds' ''Literature/RevelationSpace'' trilogy - a paper thin solar sail does wonders at killing the starships flying at 90% the speed of light. In an interstellar chase, a sail is released behind the ship being pursued, and the ship's exhaust pushes the sail back towards the pursuer; with the speed difference between the two objects, contact would result in instantaneous destruction.

* ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' has Captain Sisko repair a derelict Bajoran spacecraft with solar sails. He and his son decide to go on a voyage and accidentally end up in Cardassian space. Earlier in the episode shows a Cardassian and Bajoran arguing whether ancient [[AncientAstronauts Bajorans did make it to Cardassia.]]

[[caption-width-right:350:This image depicts the Japanese IKAROS spacecraft, which used its solar sail to accelerate itself on its way to Venus. Yes, this trope is TruthInTelevision.]]

* The Japanese [[TemptingFate IKAROS]] (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) space probe was the first spacecraft to use a solar sail as its main method of propulsion. The craft was launched in 2010. It used the radiation pressure from the Sun to propel itself toward Venus, making history as the first solar sail-powered interplanetary spacecraft. The craft's journey to Venus was to test the sail's control system - LCD panels on the sail itself can adjust their reflectivity, giving the craft a method of attitude control. Currently {{JAXA}}, the Japanese space agency, is using the craft to further refine control methods for solar sail-powered craft.

* The Japanese [[TemptingFate IKAROS]] (Interplanetary Kite-craft Accelerated by Radiation Of the Sun) space probe was the first spacecraft to use a solar sail as its main method of propulsion. The craft was launched in 2010. It used the radiation pressure from the Sun to propel itself toward Venus, making history as the first solar sail-powered interplanetary spacecraft. The craft's journey to Venus was to test the sail's control system - LCD panels on the sail itself can adjust their reflectivity, giving the craft a method of attitude control. Currently JAXA, the Japanese space agency, is using the craft to further refine control methods for solar sail-powered craft.

* The ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny'' ''Stargazer'' ONA has the "[[TitleDrop Stargazer]]" Gundam. It uses a Voiture Lumiere system as a magnetic sail. It is meant to be an unmanned probe controlled by a rudimentary AI for extrasolar exploration, though it can carry a couple of passengers/pilots if necessary. It also takes the Gundam about a month to make it from Venus to Earth using just the Sun's output for thrust (it rode a giant laser beam to get out to Venus in the space of a couple of minutes).

* The ''Venture Star'' in ''{{Film/Avatar}}'' uses a solar sail to accelerate to its destination several lightyears away. A laser in the solar system provides thrust for the sail to get up to 70% lightspeed. However, the ship uses an antimatter rocket to slow down at its destination.

* The ''Odette II'', the yacht club's training vessel (and a former pirate ship), in ''MouretsuPirates''.

* The ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny'' ''Stargazer'' ONA has the "[[TitleDrop Stargazer]]" Gundam. It uses a Voiture Lumiere system as a magnetic sail. It is meant to be an unmanned probe controlled by a rudimentary AI for extrasolar exploration, though it can carry a couple of passengers/pilots if necessary.

[[caption-width-right:350:This image depicts the Japanese IKAROS spacecraft, which used its solar sail to accelerate itself on its way to Venus. Yes, solar sails exist in [[RealLife real life]].]]

* The arrival of an alien solar sail vessel in a human colonized system in ''TheMoteInGodsEye'' starts off the plot.

* Proposed as a far less dangerous method of dealing with a [[ColonyDrop meteor heading towards Earth]] than [[DeusExNukina launching a giant nuke at it]]. A robot spacecraft would attach a solar sail which would 'nudge' it off course.

* Solar sails are used as weapons in AlastairReynolds' ''RevelationSpace'' trilogy - a paper thin solar sail does wonders at killing the starships flying at 90% the speed of light. In an interstellar chase, a sail is released behind the ship being pursued, and the ship's exhaust pushes the sail back towards the pursuer; with the speed difference between the two objects, contact would result in instantaneous destruction.