Free Solar Sail Acceleration Calculator

Calculate the acceleration of a solar sail from radiation pressure: a = 2 * S * A_sail / (c * m * d^2), where S is solar flux at 1 AU.

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m2
kg
AU

Sail Acceleration

0.00090794 m/s2

Acceleration (micro-g)92.5840 micro-g

Sail Acceleration vs Sail Area

View formula & how it works →

Solar Sail Acceleration

A perfectly reflecting solar sail receives momentum from reflected sunlight.

Formula

a = 2S * A / (c * m * d squared)

  • *S* = 1361 W/m2 (solar constant at 1 AU)
  • *A* = sail area
  • *c* = speed of light (2.998 x 10^8 m/s)
  • *m* = total mass
  • *d* = distance from the Sun in AU

    • The factor of 2 accounts for perfect reflection (momentum change = 2p).

    Example Calculation

    10 000 m2 sail, 100 kg spacecraft, at 1 AU.

    1. 01a = 2 * 1361 * 10000 / (2.998e8 * 100 * 1)
    2. 02a = 27 220 000 / 2.998e10
    3. 03a = 9.08e-4 m/s2
    4. 04About 92.6 micro-g

    Frequently Asked Questions

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