%0 Journal Article
%T Electric solar wind sail mass budget model
%A P. Janhunen
%A A. A. Quarta
%A G. Mengali
%J Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems Discussions
%D 2012
%I Copernicus Publications
%R 10.5194/gid-2-429-2012
%X The electric solar wind sail (E-sail) is a new type of propellantless propulsion system for Solar System transportation, which uses the natural solar wind for producing spacecraft propulsion. This paper discusses a mass breakdown and a performance model for an E-sail spacecraft that hosts a scientific payload of prescribed mass. In particular, the model is able to estimate the total spacecraft mass and its propulsive acceleration as a function of various design parameters such as the tethers number and their length. A number of subsystem masses are calculated assuming existing or near-term E-sail technology. In light of the obtained performance estimates, an E-sail represents a promising propulsion system for a variety of transportation needs in the Solar System.
%U http://www.geosci-instrum-method-data-syst-discuss.net/2/429/2012/gid-2-429-2012.pdf