South Korean scientists create solar sail that moves spacecraft with sunlight
South Korean scientists have developed a new type of solar sail that could allow spacecraft to travel in space without needing fuel.
The Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) recently tested the technology, which works by using sunlight instead of traditional engines.
A solar sail is a large, thin sheet that captures energy from the sun’s photons—tiny particles of light.
The sun's energy pushes the sail, just as the wind pushes a sailboat forward, allowing a spacecraft to move through space.
This means a spacecraft can keep travelling for long periods without carrying fuel or relying on engines.
The new solar sail, developed by KARI, is 10 metres wide and made of an extremely lightweight material.
It is bigger than the solar sail NASA introduced in 2023 and is made of a special film coated with aluminium.
The entire deployment system is compact, allowing the sail to be folded into a small space and then expanded when needed.
This technology is not just useful for space exploration. Scientists say it could also help clean up space debris, a growing problem in Earth's orbit.
Unused satellites and broken spacecraft parts clutter space, and a solar sail could help remove them.
KARI President Lee Sang-cheol said the team will continue working on new ways to use this technology. According to him, this could strengthen South Korea’s ability to explore deep space and contribute to future space missions.
