space

regram @curiositydotcom
Although #photons don’t have #mass, they can still impart #momentum. #Solar #sails rely on this fact to #accelerate continuously on their journeys through #space, reflecting photons off of their paper-thin surfaces to push themselves onward. Though they start slow, after a few years, the sails can travel at astonishing speeds. What’s more, they don’t need to carry any #fuel with them (though some may come equipped with lasers to provide photon-powered momentum when the #sail travels too far from the #sun). #outerspace #tech #technology #astronomy #light #physics